How To Tame A Heart
by Norwesterner
Summary: Having learned how to train dragons, Hiccup now confronts something even more difficult . . . the mysteries of understanding the heart and soul, both human and dragon. The first saga of the 'Taming a Heart' trilogy.
1. Chapter 1

_Understanding. Support. Commitment. The willingness to do what is right or best for another . . . to do anything for them . . . to even accept a fate. The unspoken awareness that there are sometimes things more important, even perhaps more meaningful, than existence itself. These aren't qualities we always think about when we dwell on love, and what it is to know and experience love . . . but they are essential to it. They are the stuff that both heroes and the most loyal of friends, even soulmates, all know and live by._

_When a boy spared the life of a dragon in the film 'How To Train Your Dragon', a doorway to these qualities . . . to seeing them anew . . . was opened. The characters originated by Cressida Cowell in her books, the story refined by writer/directors Chris Sanders and Dean DeBlois, the visuals crafted by the teams at DreamWorks Animation and DreamWorks/PDI, and the music composed by John Powell . . . it all weaved a tapestry that is perhaps allowing us to redefine what it means, and even feels like, to help, and care about, another . . . be they a true friend, or that someone special._

_Now, having hopefully seen the movie . . . as there be spoilers here, as sure as there be dragons . . . join Hiccup and Toothless again, as together, they repair one heart, while taming another . . ._

* * *

_FFFOOOOOMMM!_ we saw and heard as one of the harbor bonfire towers was lit for the night. _FFFOOOOOMMM! _the second one lit up a short time later.

"Nice work, Snotlout," I sighed loudly, riding Toothless, as Snotlout banked away on his Monstrous Nightmare.

"Yeah, I aced the first one . . . but the second one could have been better," he replied with unusual self-criticism . . . for him, anyway.

Dragons, it turns out, make quick work of lighting the nighttime bonfires around our village. Problem is that Toothless and I could only watch now . . . ever since we accidentally destroyed the first bonfire tower we tried to light.

" . . . He can't help it if his blast is worse than his light," I tried to explain afterwards as the other villagers gazed open-mouthed at a pile of rubble in the harbor that had been a bonfire tower which had taken our ancestors years to build, as one of our ships got lost and wrecked against it at the same time. Amazing how fast heroes can turn into pariahs, albeit still respected ones, around here.

I could feel Toothless sigh beneath me now as well, as he banked away from watching the lighting of the harbor bonfires and soared out across the moonlit sea for another brief spell of evening flying.

"I gotcha, bud," I assured, patting his black neck. It was amazing how well Toothless and I could seem to read each other now, especially when we were flying. It was Astrid I couldn't read though . . .

— — — — —

"Don't look now, but they're at it again," I could hear Gobber sighing to himself out loud at the other end of the Blacksmith's shop one night as Astrid and I 'talked'.

"We must attack other tribes and villages!" Astrid insisted. "Otherwise we'll be perceived as weak, and they'll attack us! It's only the fear of dragons around here, and seeing how they used to attack us, that has kept other tribes away until now."

"But I don't want to attack!" I shot back.

"You must!" Astrid forcefully replied. "The dragons are by far our best weapons for raiding and attacking, and convincing others to stay away from us. Dragons can do far more damage, more quickly, with fewer casualties than our ships can."

"First it was kill dragons," I sighed. "Now it's attack villages."

"We're Vikings," she responded. "Fighting something — it's what we do!"

"Is it?" I challenged. "We eat and drink, too, 'ya know . . . and we actually seem happier doing that, judging by the waistlines around here!"

"You don't get it, do you?" Astrid angrily replied to me.

"Get what?" I asked equally loudly.

"If I'm not a shieldgirl, a warrior . . . I'm a housegirl!" she said emphatically. "Stuck making cheese and butter, drying and smoking meat and fish, cooking and cleaning!"

"That doesn't sound like you," I had to admit.

"Thank you," she said, finally softening.

Astrid came towards me. I braced for her usual brand of 'pay-back' . . . the first half of which was normally painful in some way. I closed my eyes, wincing, but only felt her lips kiss mine this time.

"That's for agreeing with me," she said, as she then simply flung her arms around me and buried her head against my shoulder.

I stood there frozen in surprise, even shock this time. Something definitely felt different here.

I glanced over at Gobber, who was now rolling his eyes while seeming to make a repeated wrapping motion with his arms. "I trained 'ya about dragons, for Thor's sake! Do I hav'ta train 'ya about the rest of life, too?" he sighed as he then turned and left us alone.

"Ohhh," I said nervously, beginning to catch on . . . sort of, as I now put my arms around Astrid's waist.

"About time," she said, her face still buried against my neck.

"Uhh, sorry," I apologized. "Training dragons just seems to come so much more . . . naturally . . . to me."

"I can tell," she said as she pulled her head back and once again looked at me.

"Sooo . . . this isn't really about using the dragons to attack other villages, is it?" I guessed.

"Everyone pulls their weight in this village," she sighed. "Hiccup, if I can't pull my weight in battle . . . I'll have to pull it in a house. I don't want to do that. I never have."

"Hence the spiked dress and the shoulder armor," I noted.

"You're cute when you finally see the obvious," she replied. "Help me," she then sighed.

"How?" I asked.

"I don't know," she said as she dropped her arms and looked away. "I haven't known what to do since a future, a life, of warring against dragons disappeared right in front of me. I was hoping the Dragon Master would know."

"Hey, the dragons pretty much take care of themselves," I casually responded, " . . . especially now that we feed them fish, rather than fight them. All I do is craft dragon riding gear, and teach folks how to work with and ride them."

"You don't need . . . help . . . doing that?" she hinted.

"Nope," I said, oblivious at the time. I could so kick myself now though.

"Then maybe I'm needed as a warrior . . . elsewhere," she concluded as she turned and left out of the Blacksmith's shop.

"Astrid . . ." I called after her, but it was no use.

I turned and gave a bewildered look at Toothless, who was lounging on the floor nearby. He just got up, shook his head with a sigh as he narrowed his eyes at me, and left as well.

I wasn't getting anything that was going on that night.

— — — — —

"You feel like looking for her again tonight?" I now asked Toothless as we flew out to sea away from the freshly lit harbor lights as darkness fell now.

I could see him looking back at me briefly. He was torn for some strange reason like I was. Half of us both felt like soaring out across the night to other islands and coastlines in search once more . . . the other half of us sensed it would be futile.

I could only drop my head and sigh. Toothless just banked again and took me home, as my iron foot almost unconsciously adjusted his canvas tail flap in concert with his aerial maneuvers. I don't know why . . . but I trusted his judgment, and his decision, on this.

I could read Toothless. I knew what he would do in flight now most all the time. I no longer had to think about what I had to do, or even consciously push, pull or pivot on the piece of wood and metal at the bottom of what remained of my left leg in order to give Toothless the support in the air he needed, for both of us.

But I could not read or understand what Astrid was trying to tell me that one night. And now, I had lost her.

"What do I do, bud?" I asked him sadly as we landed at the front door of my house, and he helped me hobble inside as he now always did.

Toothless raised and turned his head, and looked knowingly at me with his wise eyes. I could almost see him planning or expecting something. But the look and grunt he gave me told me tonight was not the right time. He simply tilted his head slightly and closed his eyes briefly as we walked towards my bed, before looking at me again.

"Okay, sleep," I quietly agreed as we passed my father, already asleep on his own bed inside the house. Quietly hopping around one side of Toothless, I undid the straps and relieved him of his saddle rig as he slipped his front legs out of its rings, both of us trying not to make a sound. Toothless just gently took the saddle in his mouth from me and placed it and his tail rig over in a corner of the house near my bed, before turning back and offering me his head, looking at me . . . anticipating how he could be helpful to me. He and I were starting to work together on the ground now, as we were in the air.

Once again, I was just amazed at this creature . . . this being. I had almost killed him — heck, he could have killed me while he had me pinned, right after I freed him. Now we were helping each other in ways big and little. Ways that each of us had never experienced before. But ways that we each needed, and each seemed to appreciate. Why me? . . . Why him? . . . I would wonder now at times. I never got a clear answer back. Just a feeling . . . and that feeling felt good.

While leaning on Toothless' head, I hopped around and sat myself down on the side of my bed. I untied the straps of my own leg rig, as Toothless now gently took that as well in his mouth, and laid it to one side for me, out of the way. He then raised his head once he perceived that I was safely sitting, and looked at me with both concern, yet reassurance.

"Do you know something I don't here?" I asked him in a whisper.

Toothless just continued to look at me with his large eyes, seemingly filled with incredible understanding.

"Okay . . . I trust you," I quietly said to him. His very look now brought my buried feelings about Astrid back to the surface. "Help me find her," I asked. "Help me get her back."

Toothless just nudged me with a deep sigh that seemed to signal a reassuring pledge of support. I put my arms around his broad head and hugged him, while trying not to cry myself. He held his head motionless, for as long as I needed him to.

I sighed and finally sat up, then shifting myself into bed. Once he saw I was safely lying down, Toothless just turned his head and blew out the candle on my nightstand with the gentlest of puffs before curling up next to my bed and going to sleep himself.

Astrid was right. Toothless was my best friend . . . like none I'd ever had before. It was just one of hundreds of things I now wanted to tell her.


	2. Chapter 2

I woke up . . . with something cold, wet, and very smelly, lying on my stomach. I then heard a deep sigh of satisfaction.

"Toothless . . ." I said in almost a warning tone as I turned my head on my pillow to see him trying to smile at me again.

He had brought me a fish to cheer me up.

"Look," I sighed, ". . . I appreciate the thought, pal. I do. But I don't quite like fish the way you do, okay?"

Reluctantly hooking my fingers into one of the fish's slimy gills, I picked up the fish as I sat up in bed, and offered it back to him. Toothless just narrowed his eyes at me and began to growl.

I let the fish flop back down beside me as I sighed. "I like bread in the morning, okay?" I tried to politely emphasize, looking at him again, ". . . not fish."

To try and make myself clear, I decided to move the fish out of the way and heft myself out of bed. Then I hopped over to our dining table on my one good leg and tore off a piece of last night's bread, as Toothless watched me, puzzled. I hopped back to bed, got back in, and placed the bread on my stomach, while once again picking up the fish and offering it back to him.

"Bread . . . me . . . mornings," I said as plainly as I could, pointing to the bread and myself with one hand, ". . . fish . . . you . . . mornings," I continued, offering him the fish again. "Okay?" I added, then proceeding to eat the bread while smiling. "Mmmmm!" I said to drive my point home . . . I hoped.

Still trying to figure me out, Toothless reluctantly accepted the fish back from me. With his head lowered and giving me the strangest look, he ate it. He then raised his head again and smacked his lips afterwards, while trying to smile, indicating that fish was clearly the best thing to dragons. It apparently always helped them feel better, so why wasn't I getting that?

The only thing I could think to do then was just to reach over, lay my hand flat on his nose, and look into his eyes. This gesture . . . the one that had really opened the door to our friendship . . . was becoming our way of getting past our differences and lack of understanding. It was becoming our way of asking, 'trust me'.

Toothless now briefly closed and reopened his large eyes as he looked at me, emitting a gentle, deep almost purr of what I hoped was understanding . . . or at least acceptance of my strange preferences.

Then, he left, ambling across the room over to the dining table. I now smiled as I watched him pick up the rest of the round loaf of bread with his teeth, and return to me with it in his mouth. I felt deeply moved as he now gently placed it in my lap as I continued sitting up in bed. He then sat down at my bedside, with an expectant look, glancing at both me and the bread . . . almost seeming to ask me if he'd got it right.

I could only nod with a real smile, as a tear fell down my face, as I broke off not one, but two more pieces of bread. This time, I offered him the first one. Toothless tilted his head as he now cautiously sniffed the bread. He seemed to grimace a little. But then I had grimaced some myself when he regurgitated that chunk of fish for me at the start of our friendship.

Very carefully, he took the piece of bread in his mouth and chewed it a little. He tilted his big, black head again and looked upward, seeming to be deciding whether he liked it. Finally he swallowed it, looking at me once more with what seemed to be satisfaction.

"You like it, bud?" I asked, as I now ate my piece.

He kept looking at me while tilting his head side to side, like it was okay . . . not good, not bad, but okay. At least I now began to think I wouldn't be waking up to a fish on my belly in the morning anymore.

"Well," I sighed, rousing myself from bed again, ". . . I'd better be getting over to the Blacksmith's shop. We have more dragon saddles to be making . . ."

Toothless suddenly almost seemed to be cutting me off as he looked up and away . . . as if he was beginning to sense something somewhere else.

"What is it, Toothless?" I asked as I began putting on my sheepskin vest, along with the one boot I now needed, before reaching for my leg rig.

He quickly looked at me, gesturing with his head towards the door, and grunting. I suddenly knew my plans were now changed. We were flying this morning.

He then began gesturing with his head quickly towards his saddle rig, lying in the corner . . . looking at me urgently, giving me the idea that if I didn't hurry, I might miss something . . . something important. I quickly finished securing my own leg rig.

Not wasting time, we then both went for his saddle rig. I placed it on top of his neck and shoulders and began fastening its straps, as he placed his front legs through the large stirrup rings.

He gave out a gentle roar, a call, as he looked back at me gesturing intensely with his head towards the door again.

"I'm hurrying! I'm hurrying!" I replied as I fastened the final straps along his tail and quickly checked that everything on the rig was snug and secure. I then vaulted onto him with my hands. Even before my feet were secure in the stirrups, he was bounding with me out the door and straight into the air with a single large, well-timed beat of his wings. I had never seen Toothless in such a rush before.

Together, we were off like a shot . . . over the village housetops, and soon soaring out above the morning sea, past the bonfire towers and rocky sea stacks. There were times like this when I wished I knew where he was taking us, when I wished I could steer him . . . apply a bit to his mouth like a horse . . . something. But Toothless would have none of that, and he had told me so in the most strenuous and fearsome terms whenever I had tried to place either a metal bar, or even a leather strap, inside of his mouth. He let me know in no uncertain terms that our teamwork, our friendship, was built on trust. I had to trust where he would take me, just like he had to trust that I would keep him safely in the air.

The ocean was enveloped in a thick fog offshore, which Toothless boldly flew us right into. He turned his head quickly from side to side as we flew, completely blind in the heavy mist, as he strained to regain, to locate what he had sensed back at the house. I just lowered myself against the saddle, and gripped tightly with my whole body, bracing myself for anything he might do.

Sure enough, he suddenly banked sharply to the right, my iron foot adjusting his canvas tailfin by instinct. Now he looked to his left as he flew level. I began to hear noises as well, not too far away below us . . . and it wasn't just the sea.

Ships emerged from the fog below us and to our left . . . I quickly counted six, with maybe more still obscured in the fog. Their crews were mostly quiet, but there was some talking. These ships clearly weren't from Berk, our village.

"Better hide us, bud," I cautioned, not knowing whether these ships would be friendly, hostile, or even indifferent. "Black dragons tend to stand out in white fog," I added quietly to him.

Then I heard the two words, coming from below, we _really_ didn't need to hear right then . . .

"NIGHT FURY!" one panicked man on one of the ships now called out.

"No, wait!" another voice forcefully called out . . . a woman's. "I've got it!"

This second voice sounded strangely familiar. But before I could think about who it might be, before Toothless could even bank away and get us out of there . . . a dagger went _*thump!*_ right into the saddle, just beneath my left leg.

"What the . . . !" I said as Toothless turned us sharply into a nearby fog bank for cover. I reached down and removed the dagger, looking at it in amazement. Even for a dagger, it was very small . . . too fine for the average rough, tough Viking man to use. I flipped it around in one hand as Toothless leveled off inside the fog bank, once again shadowing the fleet of ships we had discovered.

I now saw that the dagger's handle had writing carved into it . . . just a few letters in runic characters.

H E L P . . . A S . . .

. . . the runes spelled out, with another character started but not completed.

"A . . . S . . ." I mulled along with replaying the voice in my mind.

Toothless now carefully banked back towards the ships for another look as I tucked the dagger into my belt for safekeeping. He tried to keep us behind the ships and hidden in the fog as he arced back and forth above and behind their sterns, allowing both of us to get a look at all of them. I now counted eight ships . . . a large enough force to be really dangerous if they found my village. I quickly looked up through the fog and judged the sun's position . . . Navigation having been something else I was becoming fairly good at, besides designing weapons and dragon saddles. By remembering how Toothless had flown to get here, and by quick reckoning, I judged that this fleet was sailing north along the coast, and had fortunately already missed Berk in the fog. I no longer felt the need to convince Toothless to break away and return home so we could alert the others.

He then suddenly banked back up and to the right, beating his wings to move ahead alongside the ships. He gave out a quiet roar, gesturing with his head towards the ships as his left eye darted between me and one of the ships below. I now tried to look where he was looking. There was a mass of tough-looking figures on the deck of one of the ships . . . but they weren't wearing the style of helmets we wore in Berk. These were without horns. But there was one figure among them who wasn't wearing a helmet. This figure had a single blond braid . . . and was now training a bow and arrow on Toothless and I!

"Break out of here!" I yelled.

Toothless seemed to understand as he now banked sharply to the right and back into the fog, but not before . . . _*Thunk!*_ the arrow landed again in my saddle, right where the dagger had.

"Astrid!" I realized out loud with a cold shock, putting it all together. No one else had an aim like she did.

"AAAAAUUUUGGGGHHHH!" I now yelled out in my deepest voice in mock pain amid the fog, trying to imitate a wounded dragon as best as I could, knowing that Toothless probably wouldn't quickly get such an idea. He briefly gave me a strange look and shook his head as he flew on, continuing to conceal us in the fog as we paralleled the ships.

"That is one of their dragon raiders," we heard a voice call out from the ships not far away . . . Astrid's voice. "You do not want to mess with them!" she said emphatically, as if she was trying to convince them to steer clear of our village.

I pulled out the arrow and tucked it under a flap in the saddle to keep it with us. Toothless now looked back at me with his left eye again, as if to ask me what I wanted to do now. That was a first!

"It's Astrid!" I said back to him. "You've found Astrid!"

Toothless nodded with a satisfied growl and slight smile as he looked ahead again. He knew what he was doing . . . he was just waiting for me to catch on to it all.

Suddenly he banked left, briefly bringing us out of the fog again, and bringing the ships back into view. We glided silently, both looking at that one ship again . . . looking for that one bare headed figure. Toothless grunted and gestured with his head down to the left again.

I looked downwards to that ship. Across what may have been ten ship-lengths in distance . . . I saw that figure . . . I saw Astrid. Both her hands were now on the ship's railing . . . and she was looking back at me.

Suddenly, Toothless did a quick snap roll to the left. It was a good thing I was always holding on now, ready for his surprises like this. He then roared loudly before quickly banking to the right, taking us back into the fog to hide again.

"You gave her a signal, didn't you?" I guessed aloud to Toothless once we were back in the fog, ". . . to reassure her."

He just gave a single grunt in reply as he continued to look ahead as we flew.

"Thank you," I said as I gave him a satisfying itch in gratitude at one of his favorite spots on his neck that I now knew he liked so much, ". . . for both Astrid and I. You're looking out for her and I now, aren't you? . . . Like you have with me . . ." I added, basically stating the obvious again.

Toothless just sighed deeply, as he briefly closed his eyes with contentment. But he didn't let the pleasurable gratitude I was showing him distract him from keeping us safely airborne . . . and shadowing those ships.

I still didn't know why he would be doing this for me . . . or for Astrid . . . but clearly now, Toothless and I weren't going back home today.


	3. Chapter 3

Toothless and I continued to shadow those ships in the fog for hours as they proceeded north. We would briefly dart out of the fog every once in a while to visually survey them, but the way Toothless' ears were pivoting, even while his head didn't move, I could tell he could hear the ships easily, and wasn't letting them get very far away, even when we couldn't see them.

But late in the afternoon, the fog began to lift . . . and we were losing our cover. Toothless broke us away to the nearby coastline to hide us among the cliffs and trees there. He now looked back at me as we flew towards the coast, again seeming to ask me what I wanted to do.

"You mean go home, or stay and keep following these ships?" I asked back. "I don't know, bud," I sighed. "You could probably use a rest from flying, or fish . . . or something. You knew how to find her," I thought out loud, ". . . so it's your call, Toothless. I trust you," I decided as I patted his neck, trying to let him know that I was really letting him choose now.

We arrived at the coastline, and Toothless turned and glided along the cliffs now. I just turned and watched one of his wings for a moment as it made small adjustments to catch the updrafts and downdrafts in the air currents as we went . . . keeping us smooth and level by total instinct, despite the changing winds. I tried to work a little more on balancing his wing adjustments with the canvas tail I controlled. For a brief moment, I allowed myself to become amazed once again by what Toothless and I did together in the sky.

A grunt from him and a gesture of his head towards both the ships, and me, got my attention back though. The ships were now looking to be turning towards the coast.

"Let's see where they're going," I encouraged, gently spurring him on by just touching my right heel to his neck, as had become our code for 'onward'. "Let's get there ahead of them and check it out," I said.

Toothless now made some powerful beats of his wings, accelerating us as we skimmed close to the coastline and treetops. We flew over some land and trees that jutted further out against the sea for a moment, and came upon a small, uninhabited harbor. I could see signs of abandoned campfires and a few scattered poles below us. Perhaps these warriors or others had used this as a campsite before. Toothless circled us over it, as I looked out to sea and saw the ships now heading right for this cove.

"Our chance to rescue Astrid," I said with growing enthusiasm to Toothless. "We need to find a place around here to hide . . . maybe keep watch over them. But first," I decided, ". . . we need to get us something to eat. Toothless . . . fish!" I encouraged.

He looked back at me with something of a grin, and then vaulted us up and over the trees again towards the ocean to the south. We kept an eye on the ships behind us while looking for signs of fish below us near the cliffs. Soon, we saw seagulls flocking below us around a spot in the water . . . a sure sign of fish.

"Go for it, bud!" I encouraged, knowing I was about to get wet.

Toothless banked away from the spot briefly and then turned and arced downward. I provided him the support he needed by adjusting the canvas tail flap as we began accelerating. We approached the flock of seagulls again at a shallower downward angle going faster and faster. I lowered myself and gripped the saddle tightly, knowing what was coming. The sea gulls saw us rushing towards them and began scattering out of our way. Toothless opened his mouth and deployed his teeth just before we hit the water.

_*SPLASH!*_ We were both briefly covered in flying water as I felt Toothless turn upward again and propel us both up away from the surface with large, powerful beats of his wings. He looked back at me with a dozen squirming fish tails hanging out of his mouth. Success!

I was now both soaked and increasingly cold in the air, but we would soon have a good, warming campfire going somewhere on shore. I could see Toothless turning his head as we flew over the forest near the cove, looking for a good landing spot . . . and hiding place. With the forest seeming pretty dense, he turned us out over the sea cliffs again and finally landed us on an open, grassy spot on top of the cliffs, at the edge of forest trees that could provide us with some shelter from any winds or weather.

Getting off Toothless on the ground, I could now just hear the ships over in the cove. Their chieftains were giving orders, and I could hear the ships running up on the beach. Toothless was looking warily in their direction, too, as he opened his mouth and let the fish fall out onto the ground. I then started hobbling to the edge of the forest to get some firewood . . . I still wasn't quite getting the hang of using my leg rig for real walks yet.

Toothless came over to me. But instead of helping me walk, he nudged me back towards our pile of fish.

"But we need firewood!" I mildly protested.

He just raised his head up above mine, and gently pressed down on me. I almost fell over, but he caught me with a leg and eased me down to sitting on the ground next to the fish. Once he saw I was sitting down, he just went over to the woods himself. Toothless then picked up a small, fallen tree in his mouth, brought it back, crushed it into splinters with a single chomp, and placed it all on the ground in front of me. He looked at me with satisfaction as I proceeded to arrange some of the broken wood into a stack.

"Do your thing," I then invited, gesturing with a hand as I moved back and sat beside him.

He just blew a short, gentle bluish-white blast. But the wood just smoldered afterwards.

"This wood must be a little wet. You'll need to do it for longer," I encouraged, gesturing with my hand again.

Toothless faced his head towards the wood once more and blew a still gentle but sustained blast. This time when he stopped, we had a nice fire. I proceeded to reach for a stick as I sat back against his side now, and then speared a fish from our pile to roast, while he just started to chomp and swallow a few fish from the pile himself, whole and raw.

We then both sighed together . . . then looking at each other, gently smiling. We were really getting in tune with each other, Toothless and I . . . and it was feeling good.

Seeing my fish was soon decently charred, I withdrew it from the fire to eat. But then, I had a thought.

"Toothless, you wanna try a cooked fish?" I offered. "It's the way I eat them."

Toothless looked at me, and then the cooked fish I was offering him for a moment, seeming to evaluate it somehow. Then, he picked up another fish himself. But, instead of swallowing it, he emitted a gentle sustained blast of fire through his open mouth. Seconds later he stopped his flame, turned, and then dropped an almost identically cooked fish at my feet, looking at me and inviting me, with a tilt of his head, to take it.

"You know, you do that a whole lot faster . . . and better, than I do," I remarked as I gladly picked up and accepted the fish he had cooked for me. It looked even better than the one I had just roasted over the fire!

Once again, I was both amazed, and moved, by what he did . . . what he offered me.

"Why do you do this?" I asked, just openly wondering. "I know you need me to help you fly . . . and I imagine you're grateful for that . . . but why the rest of this? . . . All the rest of this? I feel you're giving more than getting in this bargain right now."

Toothless just seemed to shrug a little, and then dropped his head and began to relax. I started to scratch him along his neck in a few of his favorite spots I knew of while he gently closed his eyes and sighed with deep contentment. Maybe all the rest of what he was doing for me was just balancing things out between us, I thought. After all, he never scratched me . . . he couldn't really, without likely breaking a few of my bones. I think he even knew that.

That he would do all he did for me though, and want to be my friend . . . a real friend . . . it still just amazed me. I could only hope I was amazing him in some way.

— — — — —

Then, just as I was beginning to doze off a little later, Toothless jerked his head up, and looked around. He then turned his head and looked at me, and made repeated quick gestures towards the woods as he now roused himself. He now swiftly turned around and helped nudge me to my feet. He then ushered me off into the nearby woods as I hobbled as fast as I could. We turned and crouched down low together among the brush, waiting for someone who was apparently approaching our campsite.

Sure enough, a figure emerged from the direction of the cove where the ships were beached. While the figure was darkly silhouetted against the twilight evening sky, I could see it was _really_ small and skinny for a Viking!

The figure walked right to the campfire and pile of fish we still had there, and dropped a large basket they were carrying.

"Hey! Are you here?" the figure said in hushed tones . . . with a female voice. "I'm here alone," she assured as she looked around.

"Astrid!" I exclaimed quietly, jumping to my feet again, as Toothless raised himself out of a crouch as well.

I left Toothless behind for a moment as I hobbled right towards her, stumbling as I went. Before I knew it, she had caught me. Then, she was in my arms, and I was gladly in hers, with tears in my eyes. I embraced her, as she embraced me tightly, too. Ohhh, the scent and feel of her hair against my nose and face! The feel of her back under my arms and hands . . . even the feel of her hard skirt spikes and shoulder armor uncomfortably pressing against me. It was her! . . . Really her! And she was apparently as glad to see me, as I was to see her!

"Astrid!", "Hiccup!" we both said to each other at the same time as we continued to hold each other tightly.

"You first," she offered, still burying her head against my shoulder and neck.

"Astrid . . . I'm so glad to see you!" I said, not caring anymore if I was crying a little. "And I'm so sorry . . . for so many things. If you want to attack villages . . . be a warrior . . . I'll attack them right with you. I'll do what it takes to convince Toothless and the others . . . anything! And I want your help working with the dragons! I'll insist on it with the rest of the village. As you can see, I still can't even walk that well anyway. I just want you back with me, Astrid . . . and I'm ready to do anything to make it happen."

Astrid just kissed me . . . with real intensity, even ferocity, this time. I now kissed her right back.

"You know," she said, finally emerging from our kiss, ". . . you really didn't need to promise me anything. Because, even when I saw you and Toothless coming for me in the sky today . . . I had already accepted you, just as you are. And, after what I've been through here, I'd even be a housegirl for you."

"No . . . no . . ." I assured her as I held her tightly again. "You won't have to do that for me. Besides, I'm discovering Toothless cooks way better . . . and faster . . . than either of us could! I think I could convince him to help out at home."

We both laughed at that. Then I looked back at Toothless while still embracing Astrid, and I extended an arm for him.

"Come here, bud," I invited. "I don't want you feeling left out of this. After all, you led me to find her. You're part of us, here."

"And," I said, turning back to her as Toothless now emerged from the forest, ". . . he helped me get through missing you, too."

Astrid now looked down, losing her smile, as Toothless ambled up next to us. "I hate to tell you this," she said, ". . . but it's not over yet."

"What?" I asked in surprise.

"I . . . my mother and I . . . have been kidnapped," Astrid now sadly explained. "We've been enslaved by a rival Viking tribe from the south who have been scouting through this area. It was so stupid! My mom and I were out fishing one evening. We shouldn't have been out alone like that. It was the same evening you and I had argued and I'd walked off in a huff. She saw how I was, and just encouraged me to go fishing with her in a boat and talk it out. We got lost in a fog, and their ships found us. I'm just glad they didn't find our village. I'm so sorry I left you like that though. You must have thought terrible things about me."

"No," I countered. "It cleared up a whole lot of things for me. It made me realize what I wanted . . . and who I wanted. I just worried about you, when you disappeared from the village and didn't come back. Toothless and I began searching for you in the evenings . . . for days."

Astrid hugged me tightly again. "I had a feeling you'd be searching for me. I've looked for you and Toothless in the sky every chance I got."

"So the dagger and the arrow were messages," I guessed.

"The only ones I could send when I saw you," Astrid confirmed. "I'm just glad you and Toothless let me know I didn't hurt you with that roll you made."

"He did that, all on his own," I admitted, looking at Toothless, and giving him a pat on his head. "But I did figure it out why he did it . . . afterwards."

"I love you, even for being slow now, you know that?" she said warmly. "But really, with all your rigs and inventions, and your ways with dragons . . . you're a lot better than you know. I can't wait to show you that, too."

"Astrid . . ." I sighed as I just held her again. "I . . . love you, too." I don't know why those words were so hard for me to say that first time . . . when I felt it inside so much.

Astrid smiled for a moment again. "You even say that slowly," she admired as she hugged me tighter and buried her nose against my neck, almost seeming to inhale me . . . before I sensed her mood changing again.

"I can't stay," Astrid now told me hesitantly as she moved back from me a little now and looked down. "They've still got my mother with them over in the cove. They allowed me to be away for just a little while, because I told them I knew where to hunt some food around here, but that it wouldn't work if they came with me. They were hungry enough to believe me, and allowed me to go. They're probably still holding a knife to my mother's throat though, right now."

"Here," I quickly offered. "Take the rest of the fish that Toothless scooped up out of the sea."

"This'll help," she agreed, as she hurriedly started to put some of the fish into the large basket she had brought with her.

"You sure you don't want to just fly with Toothless and I and go rescue your mother, right now?" I asked as I helped her put the fish in her basket.

"Now's not the time," she said, looking down. "Toothless would be too easy a target for them with their spears in that confined cove. Those spears of theirs are tipped with very sharp iron heads. They'd go deep into him. Besides, Toothless couldn't target the warriors around my mother with his blasts, without hitting my mother, too."

"Okay," I conceded. "You're the warrior genius between us here. Just let me know when you have a plan, or can see a way. But why aren't you taking more fish?"

"I don't want to feed them too well," she said closing the basket. "I want to give them just enough to keep them here for a bit longer if I can, while I figure some way out for us."

"They'll feed captives last, you know," I said, picking up a fish. "Here, let Toothless and I give you a good, quick fish dinner."

I put the fish on a stick and said, "Toothless . . . cook fish, for Astrid, please," pointing to the fish, and then to Astrid.

Toothless looked at me and opened his mouth as I put the fish on a stick inside. He then emitted a gentle blast that cooked the fish nicely in seconds as I rotated it inside his mouth.

"Here you go, Astrid," I smiled, now offering her the freshly roasted fish.

She just grinned and hugged me as she sat down and quickly began eating the fish. She was clearly very hungry . . . maybe even starved somewhat.

"Wow, this is good!" she admired as she chewed another bite, ". . . cooked right through!"

"From us . . . for you," I replied, giving her a kiss now on the side of her head as she rapidly ate.

"Outlander!" we both now heard from a distance away in the forest.

"They're calling for me. I must go," Astrid said sadly, turning to me, as she took a last bite of her meal. "I'll take this with me, for mother," she added as she tucked her half-eaten fish into a hidden pocket in her skirt. "She hasn't eaten decently in days, either."

"Astrid . . . I wish there was more I could do for you," I sighed with concern as I held an arm around her.

"Hide," she now urged. "You cannot be discovered. Maybe fly away, go home for tonight. We'll be here, at least into the morning now. Let the village know what's going on, and that my mother and I are safe . . . somewhat . . . for now anyway. Tell your father not to search for us or attack, though. My mother at least would surely be killed. They've been searching to raid our village, but I've misled them for now. I'll let them have another village if I have to . . . it won't be the first one I've seen destroyed. I don't really want to attack villages anymore either, now," she confessed, half-smiling at me.

"Outlander! Answer us!" we both heard again in the distance.

"Astrid," I said, taking her into my arms again and hugging her tightly as we both got up. "I promise I will get you, and your mother, out of this."

"You and Toothless stay safe," she asked me, giving me a final intense hug of her own. "We will figure a way out of this . . . together . . . I swear," she added as she kissed me, hard, one last time.

"That's for rescuing me . . . in advance," she tried to say in her usual 'pay-back' way.

"I already am," I said with more determination that I'd ever known as I hugged her tightly again. She hugged me as well, with an iron grip . . . like she never wanted to let go of me.

"Outlander!" we both heard once more.

"Go," I said, giving her an additional final kiss of my own . . . before releasing her. Suddenly, it was the hardest thing I've ever had to do. Astrid hesitated with tears in her eyes, too, before pulling herself together.

"Now clear out all traces of this of this campsite," she urged as she picked up her basket. "The smoke from your fire is how I found you. Then, fly home . . . for me."

"I will," I said. "But I'm coming back for you."

"I'm counting on it," she assured with a sad smile as she began to leave.

"Toothless, make all this disappear into the sea," I turned and instructed him, as I picked up what fish and wood I could and flung it over the cliff near us.

I looked up and watched Astrid walk off with her basket back into the woods. She turned once more and looked at me at the edge of the woods, openly crying now. It was the first time I'd ever seen her cry.

"Go . . . Astrid . . ." I said again, clasping my hand over my heart.

She put her hand over her heart, too, unable to say anything, before turning and running off into the woods, as she wiped her eyes with one hand.

"Outlander! Answer us!" I heard again. They were getting close this time.

"Here I am," Astrid called out to them now, as I heard her making her way through the forest towards them, likely to distract them from discovering Toothless and I.

By the time I turned around, Toothless had already swept all traces of our campsite over the cliff with just one sweep of his tail.

"Home, buddy," I then said as I climbed aboard him again, and we took off into the night. It was just in time. As we turned, we saw a couple of Viking men hauling Astrid back into the clearing where we had just been. They couldn't see us in the darkness now, but we could see them and their torches.

"Wait," I said quietly into one of his ears as Toothless turned us around to silently watch for a moment.

"See . . . no one here," we heard Astrid tell her captors. "There's a good fishing spot below . . . but only room for me."

I was so grateful that Toothless knew just how to ride the winds along the cliffs, even being able to hang right in one spot in the air . . . without making hardly a movement or a sound. Half of me wanted to tell Toothless to kill those men right where they stood. I could even kind of tell he was ready to underneath me. But we couldn't put Astrid at risk, and I knew if she didn't return with both of them, her mother would be killed.

"Alright," one of the enemy warriors seemed to accept as they gave a final look around at where we had just been, as they turned back to return to the cove.

"Okay, pal . . . we've seen she's safe," I quietly assured Toothless. "Let's go home like she asked," as I touched his neck again with my right heel.

He banked away now, out over the sea, and headed us south back towards home. I was grateful at least that Astrid and I had been given a chance to see each other, and set things straight between us . . . plus so much more now . . . the way we both wanted. I looked back towards where we had been . . . where she still was . . . one more time.

I turned again, facing forward . . . gripping the saddle tightly, soon even gripping Toothless' neck tightly. I was really fighting off tears now. He cast an eye back towards me in seeming concern.

He then let out a gentle roar as he faced forward again and accelerated faster towards home. _We'll be back,_ he seemed to assure.

I didn't know how we were going to save Astrid though. While I would once have just hoped someone else did . . . this time, I was determined to find a way.


	4. Chapter 4

"Hellooo . . ." I heard an echoing voice.

I woke up with a start. I found myself home in bed . . . not knowing how I got there.

"Hellooo . . . Hiccup . . ." I heard the voice at the doorway again. I began to realize the voice was female.

"Coming," I sleepily said as I slowly began sitting up in my bed. I swung my legs out from under the covers and found I still had my leg rig on.

I heard Toothless now gently moaning and stirring next to my bed. He still had his saddle and tail rig on, too.

I couldn't remember how we got home last night. All I remembered is flying for hours south along the coast, back towards Berk. I must have fallen asleep during the journey, and remained so even when we landed back home. That, or I was really groggy. How Toothless helped or got me into bed, I'll never know.

"Hiccup?" the female voice said, as she slowly opened the door and poked her head inside.

"Ruffnut," I said recognizing her, but still not quite out of bed yet.

Toothless now saw her, raising his head while still lying down. He was giving her a hostile look for some reason.

"Where's Tuffnut?" I asked as I struggled to roust myself from bed.

"I dunno," she replied. "I'm here to see you, not him," she said as she now just entered the house I shared with my father. For some reason, I was glad he wasn't around right then.

"You were, like, gone all yesterday," Ruffnut continued. "I just wanted to see that you were back . . . and well, okay, 'ya know."

The way she said that, and the way she was approaching me, began making me distinctly uncomfortable. Toothless now openly bared his teeth and growled at her.

"Would you . . . like help getting around this morning?" she invited, looking directly into my eyes as she now stood right in front of me, while also nervously glancing at the increasingly unfriendly dragon next to me.

"Uhh, no . . . Toothless likes doing that for me," I excused. "And I wouldn't want to make him madder than he already is."

I could have told Toothless to calm down . . . but I actually began liking the fact that he was maybe running interference for Astrid . . . guarding me for her alone now, and keeping me safe from any 'distractions'.

"Nope, I think I'm good," I now assured with a smile after looking at him snarling at Ruffnut.

"She's not coming back, you know," Ruffnut said dismissively, now turning to leave after looking at Toothless again.

With a cold shock, that made me remember my promise to return back north for Astrid. It was morning now, and even though Toothless and I must have been home for only a few hours, I suddenly felt the compelling need to fly back to her as quickly as possible.

"No, Ruffnut," I said earnestly now. "Toothless and I found Astrid yesterday. She and her mother have been taken and enslaved by rival Viking warriors from another tribe in eight ships. Astrid was able to briefly get away to see Toothless and I when they landed at a cove, and I came back to warn our village about them. They're north of us now. Astrid misled them safely away from us. Where's my father?"

"I dunno," Ruffnut indifferently replied. I knew why she was now disappointed.

"Okay," I quickly decided as Toothless now looked at me, realizing something was up. "Toothless and I have to quickly talk with my father. Go find Snotlout and his Nightmare. Tell him they have to find Toothless and I and come with us back north, now. Go, please . . . this is an emergency. I've overslept here, even though I got back just a few hours ago. Astrid is counting on us . . . all of us, alright?"

"Alright," Ruffnut replied half-heartedly. "But why do you want just Snotlout?"

"Because his dragon can fly long distances for hours without tiring, like Toothless can," I quickly replied, ". . . make a round trip if necessary between our village and there, almost without stopping. And I mostly just need a single messenger I can send back for now. We can't risk having too many of us there, and be discovered by those warriors."

"You're serious, aren't you?" Ruffnut observed.

"Yes," I simply said.

"Wish I had someone looking out for me, like she does," Ruffnut sighed as she turned and left.

"I'm looking out for all of us," I said to her. "That's why I'm asking you to stay safe here . . . for now."

Ruffnut stopped, turned around and came back to me for a moment. "You're alright . . . you know that?"

"Thanks," I modestly smiled as Toothless began snarling at her again.

"Relax, dragon," she sighed. "I'm not touching him, okay? Geez, how much is Astrid paying this beast?" she then asked me.

"Nothing I know of," I said, unable to conceal another smile.

"Well, tell her he's doing a good job . . . a really good job," she noted with some irritation as she turned again and left.

"Toothless . . . thanks for the 'protection'," I whispered to him afterwards as he looked at me. "Let's find my father," I said as I now made my way to the front door that Ruffnut had just left out of.

When Toothless and I emerged into the morning sun, I fortunately saw my father not too far away, coming down the steps from the Mead Hall.

"Son!" he greeted me gladly. "Where were 'ya yesterday and last night? I was ready to order a search party this mornin' if you had not returned! I saw 'ya in bed this mornin', but figured 'ya needed the rest."

"Dad, listen. I have to make this quick and then go again," I said urgently. "Astrid and her mother have been taken by rival warriors from another tribe. They're on eight ships. Toothless sensed Astrid passing near us yesterday. He took me out and we found her on one of the ships! We shadowed them to a cove about a day's sail north of here. She was able to get away through the woods to us for a moment and told me they were looking to raid this village, but that she led them away from us."

"I'll order the ships readied for a pursuit!" my dad forcefully responded.

"No, Dad," I countered. "These warriors will only kill Astrid and her mother if you attack them. Astrid's trying to figure a way to work with me to save her and her mother, and then we can destroy the ships with dragons from the air. It's not like we could hurl boulders at them from our own ships anyway, as catapults only work on shore."

"Son," my father simply said, ". . . I know why you're doing this. Take whatever you need . . . and go get her. I'd be doing the same thing for your mother if I could. If you need more help, just send the word. Your attack strategy's not bad, either. We will be ready for them here if they return. Oh," he now added, ". . . if, no when, you bring Astrid back . . . you have my blessing as chief of the village."

"Blessing for what?" I asked.

My dad just smiled. "Take care out there," he said.

"I will, Dad," I said with a grateful, if uncertain smile on my face, as I turned to hop aboard Toothless. I took off into the air thinking that all this was just way too easy now. I almost began to miss the awkward misunderstandings I used to have with my father.

"Hey, Hiccup!" I heard near me once Toothless and I were above our village. "Heard you needed another dragon team!"

"Snotlout!" I replied. "We've got to fly back north to Astrid. I'll fill you in on the way!"

"You got it, dude!" he exclaimed. "Finally some action for me and my red ride here!"

"He's a being . . . even a partner," I reminded Snotlout about his dragon as we began flying away from the village. "Treat him well, and with respect as a friend, a real friend, and there isn't anything your dragon won't do for you."

"Okay . . ." Snotlout replied with some real sincerity now as he looked down at his Nightmare. Maybe like me, Snotlout had never before had a real friend, either.

"Toothless," I said, turning to my own dragon friend, ". . . I'm sorry to be asking you to do this again with hardly any rest. But Astrid needs us."

Toothless just looked ahead and gave a gentle roar. He was already aiming us in the right direction, and now accelerated forward on his own.

"What can I do for you . . . for all this?" I simply asked him in appreciation, as I patted his neck.

Toothless gently banked side to side a little as we continued onwards. _Just let me fly,_ he seemed to say.

— — — — —

After hours of flying north along the coast, we approached the cove. I was relieved to see smoke rising from several fires ahead. They were still there.

"Snotlout, let's land on the bluffs here for a while to the south for a while," I instructed. "Unfortunately it's a sunny late afternoon now, so we're gonna have to wait until dark to both go in," I said as we landed on a clearing on the edge of a cliff, further away than I had the last time.

But as soon as we landed . . . I knew I had to go find her anyway.

"Snotlout," I said, changing my mind, ". . . stay here. I'm going to check on Astrid. If Toothless and I don't return by dark, head back to Berk and get the other dragons and riders to come. But stay alert here. Listen for warriors in the woods, and fly out of sight before they find you. Your dragon will probably hear them before you will, so be ready to fly away if he looks agitated. Do not let them find you . . . they have better spears than we do. I may call for you, too."

"Dude . . . you sure about all this?" he asked.

"You'll know what to do," I said, answering what I felt was his real question.

"You got it," he assured, dropping his usual laid-back demeanor.

I nodded at him, and then turned to my dragon. "Toothless," I instructed, touching my right heel to his neck, ". . . find Astrid!"

Toothless took off powerfully into the sky now, almost seeming to want to check on Astrid even more than I did! We turned north and climbed higher, into some scattered clouds above the cove that would provide us some cover. Toothless banked slowly around the cove, far above it. I could see that all eight ships were still there, beached. If they were there tonight, it might be a good time to attack, maybe to at least destroy the ships so they couldn't leave.

As we circled though, I couldn't see that bare, blond head among the warriors . . . and Toothless wasn't giving any indications he'd spotted Astrid either. He now broke away from circling above the cove, heading south and downwards . . . seeming to run on either instinct, or hope. I didn't know which.

I now saw where he was taking us . . . back towards the clearing where we had been yesterday. We dropped down near the cliff top . . . but Astrid wasn't there.

Then Toothless grunted and looked down near the bottom of the cliff. He now beat his wings powerfully, turning sharply and dropping down and now skimming along the surf.

He now quietly roared, looking back at me and then looking forward again. My own heart soared as I saw her . . . Astrid! She had climbed down the cliff, and was trying to fish by casting a small hand net.

"I'll get on this rock . . . and jump!" she said, now tucking the net back in the basket she had with her, as we made a first pass.

"Toothless . . . again, buddy," I asked.

He banked away from the cliffs and turned back around towards them in a broad arc, now aiming right towards the tall rock Astrid was just scrambling up onto, as surf crashed around it. The rock was close to the cliff. I didn't know whether Toothless would briefly retract his wings, or what he'd do. But I prepared myself.

Toothless now skimmed close to the face of the cliff. At the last second, he suddenly tilted us at an angle as he continued aiming his body right for the top of the rock. I could see Astrid crouching, readying herself. She even had her basket on her back now. I braced myself, still not knowing quite how we were going to pull this off.

As Toothless' head passed right next to Astrid at speed, she jumped for me. Wrapping her arms around my waist as I gripped the saddle, almost like she was tackling me, she deftly swung herself around and landed right behind me, still holding me tightly!

"WOO-HOO! . . . YESS!" we both yelled in triumph as Toothless now turned away into the sky, even doing a victory spin of his own!

Astrid squeezed and hugged me ferociously as she cried with joy against my neck and shoulder.

"I love you!" she said into my ear. "I've been waiting all night and morning to tell you that! I knew you would come for me . . . and find me here."

"Toothless knew to find you here," I admitted as we flew onward south along the cliffs now.

"You both did," Astrid assured as she kissed my ear, sending shivers down my whole body.

"Astrid, I love you, too," I said, not wanting to waste a moment with her . . . or begin taking care of her now, in the way I knew she needed. "First, we're gonna get you decently fed. Toothless . . . fish!"

"Get ready, and hang on tight!" I warned her as Toothless spotted another flock of seagulls on the surface ahead of us, and just went straight for them.

"No problem, Hiccup!" Astrid assured gladly as she held onto me even tighter.

_*SPLASH!*_ the three of us went as Toothless arced right back up out of the water and powered us all back into the air . . . with the now usual fish tails hanging out of his mouth.

"I've got some help near here," I said. "But first, let's give you a quick picnic . . . just us."

"Hiccup . . ." Astrid said, now charmed at my offer. "I never knew you could be so . . . romantic!"

"Neither did I," I admitted. "Toothless . . . land, please," I asked him.

He looked at me, probably wondering why I didn't want to rejoin Snotlout and his dragon at the moment. But then Toothless just sighed, and banked towards a convenient clearing at the top of the cliffs near us.

After Toothless set down and began dropping the fish he had in his mouth on the ground, Astrid just remained behind me on Toothless for a moment, holding me tightly from behind.

"What's wrong?" I asked, trying to turn my head and look at her.

"Just being with you . . . it's giving me strength again," she said quietly. "I've been through more than you want to know . . . but I have to go back again. My mother's still there. She appreciated the roasted fish you and Toothless gave us last night though . . . so much."

"We're getting you out of there," I said, now dismounting out of the saddle myself, so I could turn around and take Astrid into my arms as she now dismounted as well.

"Astrid . . ." I suddenly gasped, finally seeing her in full and up close. She had a few bruises and scrapes on her face and arms . . . including a swollen black eye.

"I'm okay," she excused. "One of my captors had a tough time believing my 'fish story' when I was taken back to the camp last night. He said I had help in gathering even that few fish. That's their gratitude for me feeding them. They didn't give my mother and I a single fish . . . I'm just glad you did. I stuck to my story though. Don't worry, I've been through the same at times before, keeping them away from Berk." She now looked down.

"That's it," I said, taking her into my arms. "I'm not leaving you here . . . anymore."

Astrid just tearfully looked at me and moved to embrace me tightly. "I won't tell you to leave me anymore, either," she quietly said. "My mother's even told me to just go with you when I got another chance. She says she's lived her life . . . that she's ready to join my father . . . so I can live a life . . . with you. But I can't let her go like that, Hiccup . . . I can't."

"I understand, Astrid," I assured her, holding her tightly. "I'm with you . . . whatever you want to do. No plan yet, though?"

"No plan," she sighed. "I could use someone I don't have to be so tough around, though right now."

"That would be me," I assured as I now cradled and rocked her gently within my arms.

Astrid, cried a little on my shoulder again, as she also shivered.

"You're hungry," I said, caring for her fully now . . . and hearing her stomach rumble. "Let's get you fed. You're cold, too. Stay right here for a sec, and let me get things taken care of."

"Nuh uh," she softly countered. "I'm helping you . . . as you take care of me."

As Toothless watched, Astrid helped me hobble over and reach for a stick. Then we turned around, went back, and I speared a fish on it. Toothless didn't even need to be asked as he now opened his mouth to allow me to roast the fish for her. But then I moved Astrid and I in front of his mouth as he gave me a puzzled look.

"Cook fish," I asked, ". . . but don't burn us."

Toothless emitted a very gentle bluish-white flame as I held the fish in his mouth on a stick while also allowing Astrid to be warmed and dried by the heat of his fire in front of him.

"You're brilliant, you know that?" Astrid said with deep appreciation as she just held me close and basked in the warmth around us. She then began softly crying against me again. "I'm sorry," she sniffed. "I'll be strong again in a minute."

I just silently kissed the side her head and held her with one arm, as I let the fish finish roasting with my other hand.

"Eat," I then simply said, pulling a nicely-cooked fish out of Toothless' mouth as I gently encouraged her to sit down.

"What about you?" she asked as she gratefully accepted the fish from me.

"Now that you have yours," I assured, ". . . I'll get mine," as I speared another fish and Toothless fortunately opened his mouth again. I looked at him, and he looked at me. He gave me a relaxed look that gave me the idea he understood, and wanted to help.

"Thanks, buddy," I said leaning over to him for a moment to gently lay a hand on his head, as he now roasted my fish while Astrid ate next to me. "I owe you . . . we both do."

"Thank you," Astrid sighed as she soon finished her fish and now leaned against me, sitting on the ground. "I feel so much better now."

"You need another fish," I decided, now passing my own freshly-roasted fish to her.

"No, you do, too," she dissuaded. "Let's share."

"There's plenty more fish here," I noted.

"Cook one for my mom, please," Astrid compromised, ". . . but let's not have Toothless here think he's just a big, black fireplace for us, okay? I'll share this one with you. I want to."

"Okay," I sighed with a smile as she now took the fish and I let her feed me a bite, while I held her with one arm, and roasted another fish in Toothless' mouth with the other. Both Astrid and I now laughed, as she now took a bite of fish as well. It was a beautiful moment . . . one we both deserved.

"Who do you have with you?" Astrid now asked, signaling her readiness to get back to business, as I took the other now-roasted fish out of Toothless' mouth, allowing him to finally eat his fill of fish as well.

"Snotlout and his dragon," I replied. "I wanted him as a messenger to send back to request either more dragons and riders . . . or 'raiders' as you called us . . . or for my father's ships."

"You heard me say that yesterday, did you?" she warmly said.

"Yes, I did," I replied. "That helped reassure me you hadn't turned against our village . . . or against me."

"I'm sorry if you ever thought I did . . . even for a second," she said, looking at me. "I even wanted to write 'I love you' on the other side of that dagger, or paint a heart on the arrow I shot to you, but I didn't have the chance."

"You do now," I gently said, looking back at her.

"Hiccup," she said, now looking openly and seriously at me. "I love you. I realize I have been coming to love you for months now since you led us all to find peace with the dragons. And you did lead us, even me, whether you realize it or not."

"But, I've seen death in recent days," she continued, looking away. "Violence, killing, destruction . . . too much, and way too close. It's been nothing like when the dragons used to attack us. I used to think fighting was a thrill . . . my old 'it's not fun unless you get a scar out of it.' Now . . . after what's been happening to me being kidnapped and held . . . life, Hiccup . . . it's so much more precious to me. My world's upside down now. I no longer want to fight to kill and destroy . . . but only to protect those I care about, and love."

"And love itself," Astrid now said earnestly, almost crying, ". . . it's so rare in the world around us. There's so much cruelty and indifference . . . so little love. What you've done with Toothless . . . I can sense that you can see that, too. And I'm sorry I was hard on you at the beginning of dragon training. I was there to win," she smiled briefly. "I hope you know though that I never joined in making fun of you, because I don't believe in that . . . I never have."

"I don't want to wait any longer, though," she concluded as I held an arm around her. "I know what I want in life now . . . I want love, Hiccup," she said, taking my free hand, ". . . and I want you. I want you to share it with me. That's what I desire . . . so much now. I . . . I am ready to make myself yours, totally . . . if you want me . . ."

At first, I was so stunned, I could only kiss her on the cheek as she looked down for a moment, seemingly afraid she had said too much.

"Astrid . . ." I said as I brought her close and held her for a moment as she buried her head against my shoulder and chest. "It's okay," I assured. "It's okay . . . I love you, too . . . just as much now. I do."

I felt her convulse a little with tears of relief in my arms.

Suddenly, I was ready . . . I just was.

"Astrid," I said again, now moving away slightly and rising on my knees as I faced her and took one of her hands in mine. I lost all fear, and any question of what was right . . . now knowing what I truly wanted, too. "I love you. When I lost you . . . when you disappeared, I never wanted anything . . . anyone . . . back so much, ever. In searching for you, all I wanted was to care for you, to make you happy."

Astrid now smiled and shed a few more tears of joy as I continued, ". . . because when you've laughed, when you've smiled around me lately . . . nothing has ever felt so good to me in my whole life. Now that I have you back, I never again want you to go away."

"So," I continued as a deliberate, even surreal, calm now washed through me, ". . . I ask you, Astrid, to accept me, totally, as yours as well. With Odin's blessing . . . we live as one . . ."

"We fight as one . . ." she now agreed, as she now knelt in front of me as well, taking both my hands into hers.

"And we love . . . as one," I said.

". . . from this moment on," she finished.

"Forever . . . I vow it," I continued, moving closer to her.

"And so I vow, too . . . my husband," she echoed.

"Astrid . . . my wife," I said softly in awe, with a tear in my eye now.

We both kissed, fiercely, earnestly, on our knees, sealing our bond . . . our union.

"Yes . . . yes . . . yes . . ." we both said quietly together, over and over again . . . sighing, crying, just overwhelmed. Suddenly, nothing had ever felt so right now, to either of us.

I finally understood what my father had meant by his 'blessing', back at the village. But I was married to Astrid _now_, as of this moment, as Vikings truly aspire to be . . . in the midst of challenge and facing a looming battle together. Any wedding feast my father and the village would offer would be a light formality after this.

"My heart with yours," Astrid said, still embracing me tightly.

"No matter what happens," I replied as I held her, too.

"And Toothless?" I asked, now looking at her.

"He's part of our family now," Astrid assured, ". . . part of our house. I wouldn't have it any other way. But let's make room for my Nadder, too, okay?"

"You got it," I assured, ". . . and me."

"I just wish we could have the celebration now," she sighed, looking at me. "But that will have to wait. You have no idea though, how much this strengthens me. I'm ready to fight again, because you're beside me . . . even inside my heart . . . whether you're near me or not. I want my mother to know about this though . . . about us, no matter what happens here."

"We will," I assured her, ". . . together."

"Thank you, Hiccup," she said embracing me tightly again. "Thank you, so much."

"Thank you, too, Astrid," I said, savoring her in my arms. "While I dreamed about it, I didn't really think I'd have this . . . with you . . ."

"You were always a Viking," she said now looking at me. "My Viking. I'm just sorry it took so long for me to see it."

"I had problems really seeing it, too," I confessed with a smile.

"You do now though, right?" she asked.

"Totally," I assured.

"Good," she replied, kissing me once more.

We silently embraced once more. "Astrid . . . my wife," I marveled again out loud.

"Hiccup . . . my husband," she repeated gladly as well. Hearing that, I couldn't help but convulse a little more with tears of joy.

She then just looked at me with a smile and tears of her own, as she reached to caress my face and wipe a tear from it. I knew what we had now would be special . . . so very special.

"We better get moving," Astrid then sighed however, as we came back down to Earth, and to what we were still facing . . . together now, however. "They might come looking for me. Let's pick up these fish and meet up with Snotlout."

"Yeah," I agreed with a smile. "I gotta tell someone you're my wife now."

"Yess!" Astrid enthusiastically agreed as she hugged me one more time.

Even Toothless was giving us a happy, satisfied look as we finished gathering up the fish into Astrid's basket. I remounted his saddle first, then offering my hand to my wife . . . Astrid.

I dwelled within my own thoughts for a second as I looked forward and Astrid settled herself snugly against my back on the saddle. I now had a best friend, and a wife, with me . . . both of whom I felt an indescribable love for, in different ways.

I had set out to find Astrid . . . to win her back . . . even tame her heart.

But she beat me to it . . . and now I loved her for it, more than anything.

As the three of us took off into the air again, I realized I was now the most fortunate and blessed among Vikings — the richest boy . . . no, man now . . . on Earth. Rich, not for what I had, but for whom I now had with me.

But I felt . . . I knew . . . I could still lose it all in what was to come.


	5. Chapter 5

_Note_

_This chapter of the saga includes some moderate descriptions of the cruelties of capture and battle, within the 'T' rating however. Love, in the midst of challenge, is not without its costs . . . or its rewards._

— _Norwesterner_

* * *

From the air, we soon spotted Snotlout and his Nightmare on another cliff top not far away on the other side of a point, right where I'd left them. Astrid and I could see that they'd been splitting a nice fish pile of their own between them.

"Hey!" Snotlout exclaimed, interrupted by a belch from his large meal as we landed in front of him. "You found her! All we need to do now is grab Astrid's mom and go, right?"

"It's not that easy," Astrid replied, as she dismounted from the saddle behind me. "Those warriors are searching to raid and destroy our village. They've been trying to force my mother and me to take them to it. But we've both been misdirecting them for days now. Thank Odin, we've had fog to make our job easier. That, and this bunch are just not very good navigators . . . or fishermen. They have mean spears though, and they know how to use them."

"Our job," she continued, "is to both rescue my mother, _and_ minimize or eliminate them as a threat to our village."

"How're we gonna do that?" Snotlout asked.

"My husband has the best idea so far," Astrid smiled, looking at me.

"_Husband?"_ Snotlout exclaimed.

"Yep," I modestly confirmed, suddenly feeling at least five years older and way more mature than I used to. "Astrid and I . . . we found we love each other, and given what we're facing with those warriors, we didn't want to waste time, or lose an opportunity. Captivity and the threat of battle, real battle . . . it kind of clears up what's important in life, and what you want, really fast."

"Astrid and I," I continued as I put my arm around her now, "we knew it was right between us. She and I had been falling in love for a while, actually. We just finally admitted it to each other . . . really admitted it. I don't know how long she and I will have together. I hope it's a long time . . . a very long time. But, having been separated once by these warriors, neither of us wanted to wait to see how this turned out before we told each other how we were really feeling, or what we truly wanted to be together. So we decided to make our commitment and vows to each other a little while ago. Astrid is my wife now, and I could not be happier, or love her more."

Astrid just had to turn and tearfully embrace me for a moment. I couldn't help but hug her tightly as well.

I glanced at Snotlout out of the corner of my eye while my wife and I held each other. He was just frozen in stunned, open-mouthed shock.

"I know it's maybe a mind-bender, Snotlout," Astrid sniffed, recovering herself as she emerged from our embrace, but leaving her hand almost possessively over my heart now. "Especially from me, given my independence. But in the raids on other villages I've witnessed in recent days while being held by these warriors . . . the violence and more, even right next to me . . . it's changed me. It's made me realize what's important in life . . . being with someone who's shown they care about life, and about me. And that's Hiccup. If he can turn a dragon into a best friend, I know he can live with me, and love me, too . . . as I love him, just for who he is now. I've seen him risk everything, even briefly lose it all, for those he cares about. That's what I want in life, and why I want him, now."

"I also know you've had an interest in me, Snotlout," Astrid continued, confronting the issue between them directly. "But, I'm not the right girl for you. If you want her though," Astrid reassured, "I know the right girl is out there, waiting for you."

"Wow . . ." Snotlout commented, still not quite knowing what to make of Astrid and I, and the probably changed and unified attitudes between the two of us now. I was certainly feeling them.

"How could I refuse any of this?" I sighed happily as my arm remained around Astrid.

"You couldn't," Astrid warmly noted as she gave me a kiss on the cheek now, "and neither could I."

"But we gotta get down to business here, guys," she now continued with a sigh. "Those warriors are here today, but I've now heard they're gonna be heading back south towards home tomorrow, as they've seen the signs of fall coming. And, unless the fog will be there again to hide our village, they're gonna see it, and they will attack it. We have to stop them."

"With dragons . . . destroying their ships from the air," Snotlout added.

"Partly," Astrid replied. "That's what Hiccup has suggested to me. But in thinking about it . . . we don't want them settling here, and building new ships or rearming over the winter. So, we'll destroy some of their ships, so they're not such a threat to us. They'll have to crowd onto the rest, and being more vulnerable to attack and sinking, they won't harm us or anyone else once they're at sea again. Then we force them to go home, and they will tell others it's just not worth messing with us and our dragons. But first, we have to figure a way to get my mother away from them to safety."

"By picking her up with Toothless," I said.

"But she's never alone outside," Astrid replied to me. "I told you that on the way here. They always have guards around her. They can spear her in a second. Some of them are pretty good knife-throwers and archers, too. She, and you two, would be a target in the open air for too long until you got away."

"Not if we took her right over one of their tents or some nearby trees," I replied. "It's all about approaching from the right direction."

"No, I want to try and get her out of the camp somehow," Astrid sighed, "someplace where you and Toothless can grab her with protective trees right there. But I haven't figured out how to do that yet. Every time I've tried, it's failed."

"We're running out of time," I cautioned.

"I know!" Astrid snapped.

"Oh, ohh," Snotlout warned with a smirk, " . . . first marital spaa-aatt!"

"No!" both Astrid and I forcefully replied back to him at the same time.

"See?" she noted with satisfaction to both Snotlout and myself. "Hiccup and I agree on something!"

"Here, Snotlout," Astrid now said, taking off her leather headband and giving it to him. "My Nadder knows my scent. Wave this in front of her nose and then take it with you and go. She will follow you here. Bring her to me."

"I'm going back to the cove to safeguard my mother," Astrid then decided. "Snotlout, load this basket of mine up with fish . . . please."

"Yes, M'am!" Snotlout readily replied. He could still be easily swayed by an attractive woman . . . even if she was now married to someone else.

"I will watch for you, Hiccup," Astrid continued, turning back to me. "I'll give you signs, and even meet with you, when I can. You watch for the right opportunity, and strike! Strike either to get us out of there, or to start a battle when I can protect my mother. They've shown little mercy to my mother and I . . . show little to them! Take out their ships first . . . just two or three of those should do it. But don't hesitate to take them out if you have to."

Astrid then forcefully grabbed me by the shoulders and brought our foreheads together, closing her eyes tightly.

"Odin," she said, obviously praying now, "this is my husband, Hiccup. You are NOT going to separate us now! You are not going to allow him to be killed, at least without me, and by Thor, I am not going to die and leave him behind in life either! I have not begun to have enough time with him yet!"

"Uhh, Astrid . . ." I cautiously interjected, with my eyes open again, "remember, you're talking to the gods here."

"_That's how much I love you now!"_ she said quietly but emphatically, with astonishing ferocity . . . her eyes having an unstoppable look in them as she now looked at me. "I choose to! I would fight the gods themselves to remain by your side now, and they'd respect that!"

"Whoa . . ." Snotlout quietly said near us as he finished filling Astrid's basket with fish.

"Odin," Astrid now continued, closing her eyes again, "give my husband and I your wisdom and insights needed to win this battle. Help both him and I to know when and how to strike. If it is your will that our warrior enemies be spared . . . I-I'm okay with that."

"But," she concluded, "do not mess with this marriage . . . this sacred and heartfelt union between Hiccup and I . . . that you've allowed to begin here, in each of our hearts. I've been through so much for this now. I beg you," she now said quietly, beginning to cry a little.

I held her more tightly, shedding a few intense tears myself.

"So let it be," she finished.

"So let it be," I concluded with her, my own eyes closed as well, and my forehead pressed against hers.

We then just held each other tightly again, each crying a little more.

"I love you, Hiccup," she said now earnestly looking at me. "And I swear . . . I will die an old woman, with you."

"I know you will," I assured, looking back into her eyes, "and I'll die an old Viking, right by your side. I love you, Astrid."

We both kissed one more time, so very hard, as we held each other.

"Watch over me," she invited finally forcing herself to break off our kiss, "and I will see you soon."

"I'm already doing it," I assured her as she then forced herself to turn away from me and pick up her basket of fish and go . . . but not before she paused beside Toothless.

"Protect my husband," Astrid said, laying a hand on his head, "and our family and village now . . . just like you have been."

Toothless nudged against Astrid with his eyes closed, before moving back slightly and opening them, looking at her again. I could tell he would not let her down.

Astrid turned one more time and looked at me as she held a clenched fist over her heart. "You're mine!" she said intensely.

"I am!" I responded as I held a fist over my heart, too. "And you're mine, too!"

I had never felt so much like a Viking in my life!

Astrid then turned and jogged into the forest, carrying that heavy basket of fish on her back like it wasn't there. Once again, she was fully unstoppable.

"You know," Snotlout said in his usual indelicate way as he came up next to me, "if she didn't make it, I don't think she'd let you have another wife, even from Valhalla."

"Snotlout, I don't want another wife . . . ever," I said, watching Astrid go.

"Go back to Berk," I then directed him while still watching my wife disappear into the woods. "Bring everyone the village can spare here . . . both dragons, and ships. I know the dragons will arrive first. If you don't see me, and if you can't already tell what's going on here, scout out the cove alone first when you return, as I've done. Then . . . use your best judgment."

"You got it," Snotlout pledged as he hopped aboard his Nightmare and took off back toward home.

Toothless now looked at me and grunted, tilting his head towards the cove, inviting me to climb on . . . inviting me to battle.

— — — — —

We were airborne, but without a plan as Toothless cruised among scattered clouds high over the cove.

"We're too high here, bud," I said, looking down. "I can't see what's going on down there."

At the touch of my right heel, Toothless obediently descended in a wide, gentle spiral down towards the cove. Against my own preferences though, he broke away from above the cove half way down to descend the rest of the way to the treetops among the surrounding forest some distance from the enemy camp. Even he didn't want to make himself an easy target in the waning daylight, and he knew enough to avoid it.

I scanned the forest nervously for signs of any enemies, wondering how Astrid and I were going to keep in contact . . . or if I could even see her without being attacked. It was just me, Astrid, and Toothless for now against a small army.

I had time now as we cruised above the trees in the late afternoon sun . . . too much time . . . to think, to worry, even to fear.

"This isn't gonna work," I said out loud, wishing Astrid could hear me. "I can't get close enough to the camp to even see you, without becoming a target . . . until dark," I suddenly realized.

"Toothless . . . cliffs . . . land," I instructed, touching my heel again to his neck.

Toothless banked and turned across the forest back to the ocean. Turning again at the clifftops, he was almost ready to land.

"No, Toothless," I said, now filled with caution and gently spurring him on, "this is too close. These Vikings know Astrid comes here. This is where we saw her with them."

Toothless turned and looked back at me, and then beat his wings harder to pick up speed and altitude as we now proceeded further south. The sun was now setting fast in the west though, and Toothless must have sensed something again, as he now shook his head, seeming to shake off my instructions, and suddenly banked around hard, reversing direction and now heading again for the cove.

I now shook my own head. Part of me thought Toothless was wrong here . . . but most of me knew better. He had proven more than worthy of my trust in his judgment by now. I just had to take it on faith that he knew what he was doing.

I was learning what all true warriors knew . . . the hours, the minutes before a battle can be worse than the battle itself. You don't know when it will start or where danger, even death, will come from. You're on edge. Nerves are your worst enemy.

"Toothless," I said. "I don't know what to do here. I can only trust you right now. Just take care of Astrid . . . and me."

Suddenly, Toothless banked and skirted close above the treetops around the inner part of the cove, close to where the warriors' camp was. He flew as quietly as he could, straining to hear something.

I now heard it, too . . . a hard slap, and the brief cry of a girl . . . of Astrid.

"You lie!" I heard a warrior angrily say. I heard him slap Astrid again as she briefly cried out. I cringed upon hearing that, not knowing whether to order Toothless to attack to save her, or to let this continue, waiting for a clearer opportunity or a signal somehow.

_That's my wife down there now!_ I silently yelled inside, filling with both anguish and rage as I heard Astrid get struck again. But Toothless wasn't attacking . . . he wasn't intervening. He continued to cruise right among the treetops just east of the cove, as we continued to overhear this abomination occurring near us.

Suddenly, a stick popped up above the trees near us to the left. It was obviously thrown up by someone. But it couldn't have been Astrid. She was being hit yet again, crying out more loudly this time.

The stick had been thrown by Astrid's mother I realized with a shock.

She wouldn't have thrown it, wouldn't have taken the risk . . . without a very good reason . . . possibly Astrid's life.

I heard Astrid scream again, this time in real pain.

I could stand it no more, as I cried for her . . . and with her.

"Toothless," I said quietly with gritted teeth, "Ships . . . attack!"

He looked at me briefly . . . and agreed, as he now altered course out over the forest and we both prepared for an attack run over their ships. I didn't know whether Toothless could count two or three ships or not, as Astrid had suggested. I no longer cared how many we destroyed.

Thankfully, darkness was now descending as we turned and began our attack run. Now aiming downward, Toothless narrowed his wings, relying more on me to stabilize our flight. I began to hear that gentle whistling, almost screaming sound of the wind around us . . . the only warning of a Night Fury attack.

Toothless fired once. A bluish-white ball of fire shot away in front of us towards the ships as Toothless now leveled out and began arcing upward.

_KABOOM! _we heard and saw as two of the enemy ships suddenly exploded in splinters and fire.

"NIGHT FURY!" we now heard coming from various places now all over the warriors' camp.

"Toothless, attack anywhere!" I ordered, realizing the battle was fully on now. I had started it . . . with no plan, no back-up or help. Just a signal that I presumed came from Astrid's distressed mother. I could only hope it was doing Astrid some good.

Toothless now banked and descended again, releasing another bolt of fire onto the largest wooden structure in the camp.

_KABOOM! _the structure went, disintegrating and burning in all directions, even catching nearby tents on fire.

We began to get arrows and spears flying past us as Toothless accelerated us up and away from the camp, before turning to attack again. Fortunately, the enemy was shooting blind. They couldn't see us coming anymore with the cover of night around us now.

"Toothless . . . attack ships!" I ordered again, now wanting to draw the warriors away from the camp on shore where I'd heard Astrid being struck.

Toothless turned up and banked around, aiming for the cove and the remaining ships.

We screamed down mercilessly out of the sky as Toothless let loose another fiery blast upon two more ships.

_KABOOM!_ once more. With just two shots from us upon their ships, half their fleet was now on fire. With all that wood and pine tar, these ships were perfect targets for a dragon.

Just as I'd hoped, most all the warriors were now streaming out of the camp in a desperate attempt to extinguish the fires on their ships.

I now took a real gamble.

"Toothless . . . Find Astrid . . . Land!" I ordered.

He now aimed us for where we'd both had heard Astrid scream earlier . . . right near the structure we had destroyed on a previous pass.

Suddenly, as we were about to land amid the disorienting smoke, flames and darkness . . . we were surprised. A small, hastily improvised catapult swung up in front of us. But it was badly constructed. Its arm broke in mid-swing, with its basket and stone payload fell backwards, while the now sharp and jagged narrow beam swung forward at a blinding speed.

Toothless had no time to avoid it. It stabbed right through his left shoulder, emerging just behind my saddle, breaking off as we hit it.

Toothless was spun around in the air as he now fell to the ground with me still on him, landing on his four paws, but roaring in pain. He had the presence of mind though to just start firing a few blasts around in front of him towards the beach where most of the warriors now were . . . not caring where he aimed, to ward off any potential attackers on the ground. Spears now rained down around us, some of them striking him as well, but not doing as much damage as the beam did.

"Oh dear Odin," I said in horror, realizing that we, that I, had likely made a critical mistake . . . one that could cost us everything now.

Still mounted in my saddle onboard Toothless, I looked around desperately for Astrid amid the flames and confusion around us.

"ASTRID!" I finally just called out for her, almost crying. I now felt I had screwed up . . . badly. Worse than any blunder I'd ever made in Berk.

"Hiccup!" I now heard behind me as Astrid practically jumped over Toothless and landed right behind me.

"Keep him firing!" she said breathlessly, "for as long as possible!"

"I'm so sorry," I said desperately to her, turning around. "It's my fault!"

"Not now, my love!" Astrid replied steadily. "Focus! We can do this! My mother and I have your rear! Just fire at the warriors . . . I don't care what happens to them!" she said coldly, despite what she had shared with me earlier in the afternoon.

Briefly turning around and being able to see her face and arms, with even more bruises on them now than earlier, I could see why.

"I'm . . . I'm okay," she now said amidst the flames and smoke around us, seeing me looking at her. "Focus . . . do this!" she urged as she gave me a quick, intense kiss before turning to run to Toothless' tail and take up a protective rear guard with her mother, as they each picked up loose spears and axes scattered around them.

Despite being on the ground now and seriously wounded, Toothless continued to repel the warriors around us with terrifying blasts in front of them, and sometimes directly into their ranks, as I remained in his saddle and coached where he needed to aim. Astrid and her mother protected our rear, repelling the thankfully few attackers who were able to get around Toothless' blasts. I knew Toothless would soon run out of shots though, and then it would be over. We would be overrun by attackers. When that happened, I resolved I would leap across Toothless' back and grab onto Astrid, and that we would die together.

I couldn't run to get away with my leg rig if I tried, anyway. And I had no other weapon, besides a small dagger tucked in my belt . . . Astrid's dagger.

I now quickly turned and looked towards Astrid in the heat of battle around us. She was already turning to briefly meet my gaze with her own eyes. For an instant, time slowed . . . even stopped . . . as our eyes met. Once again, she was that valkyrie I had been entranced by during dragon battles in Berk. This time however, I could see that she was entranced by me, too. She was hearing the same music of 'wow' that I was.

But our current reality also blended in now. We knew . . . we each knew . . . that whether it was life, or death . . . we would face it together.

Astrid gave what was now our sign, a quick clenched fist on her chest across her heart. I gave her a clenched fist across my own heart as well, and then, renewed, we each returned to face battle, full on.

Toothless' shots now stopped though. Even before I could rise out of the saddle and vault towards Astrid, I could feel her basically tackling me from behind, as she swung herself around me to face me, with her back towards our enemies.

"I love you," we said together as we now kissed and embraced each other tightly, closing our eyes . . . ready to share whatever pain death might bring.

Suddenly, blasts and flames began coming from the air over the cove . . . and to our surprise, ships illuminated with torches now appeared beyond the cove's entrance. The entire cove was now lit up with dragon blasts coming from all directions.

Astrid and I both now just cried in relief as we kept hugging each other tightly as we both now heard the enemy chieftains yelling, "Retreat! Retreat!"

We now emerged from what was our death embrace to look at each other . . . amazed that we were still alive. But we could not utter a word between us. Astrid and I now just closed our eyes and cried together again, as Snotlout and Fishlegs now landed their dragons in front of us to protect us. Astrid was now overjoyed as she turned to see her own Nadder landing along with them.

"You're stuck with me now," Astrid turned back and joked into my ear through her tears.

"A-Absolutely!" was all I was able to get out in reply.

Things around us suddenly fell silent though, as the enemy ships attempting to flee were now stopped by a line of our ships stretching across the cove's entire entrance.

"Surrender!" I could hear my father bellowing, as he stood tall on the prow of a middle ship. "We will be merciful!" he pledged.

Realizing they were surrounded, with most of their ships now burning and their numbers depleted, the enemy Vikings began dropping their weapons wherever they stood.

Just like that, the battle was over.

Seeing we were safe, Toothless now slumped on the ground, breathing heavily . . . his injuries catching up with him.

For the first time, as Astrid and I now dismounted from his saddle, I turned and allowed myself to become horrified . . . first at the several spears now sticking into his sides and back, but worst of all at the broken beam pierced through the shoulder of my best friend. I couldn't help but cry now for him — but also for myself, and the overwhelming prospect of losing him.

I sensed Astrid now moving close again to me. I turned and embraced her as I cried hard now. "Toothless . . ." I wept as I was finally able to look at her. "I . . . I don't know what I can do for him."

"Yes, you do," my wife gently countered, looking right at me. "He's not dead, and what he's suffered isn't killing him, not right now. You know what to do for him, Hiccup," she said. "Think . . . then do."

"Astrid," I cried now with overwhelming gratitude and admiration for her, "I love you."

"Love me later," she smiled, despite her own bruises and cuts. "Help him now."

I nodded with a tearful smile to her, and then looked at Toothless and his wounds again as I held Astrid.

Sure enough, it came to me . . . "Pine tar," I said as my tears diminished. "It-It will seal the wounds, stop his bleeding. Give us time to think."

"That's my husband," Astrid admired as she kissed me. "WE NEED PINE TAR! HERE! NOW!" she commanded loudly as our own forces began to gather around us on shore. Then she looked at me again with a smile.

Buckets of Pine Tar were quickly brought to me by others. I turned to Toothless, who was quietly groaning and still breathing hard, and began to apply the tar with a brush around both the beam where it pierced his shoulder, top and bottom . . . and around the spears along him that I didn't feel I should pull out at the moment. He began looking at me with one eye as I worked. Astrid even grabbed another brush, and helped me to apply the tar in various places around him.

Soon, our work was finished. The tar quickly solidified over his wounds, and around the beam. His bleeding was halted.

"You did it," Astrid whispered in my ear as she kissed me again.

"For the moment," I sighed, feeling somewhat better as I put an arm around her while still looking at what we'd accomplished.

"Hiccup," I now heard behind me. It was my father.

"I can't tell you how proud I am, son," he said, "of you, and your friends . . . both human, and dragon."

"Dad," I said, turning to him with an arm still around Astrid, "Astrid is more than a friend to me now. She's my wife."

"I could tell, son," my father smiled, "even from clear across the cove. You and Astrid fought together just like your mother and I once did. I can't tell you how happy I am for each of you, that you both survived . . . that you both won."

"Dad," I gently countered, "Toothless was injured and had run out of shots. Astrid and I were preparing to die, together, just as you arrived."

"I figured you'd need help," he said. "So we made preparations and left port as soon as we could after you left this morning. Snotlout and the dragons were a wee bit slow in linking up and finding this place in the dark, but it worked out in the end. You've won though, son," he assured. "You both have. Fighting in battle . . . together," he admired, choking with emotion, "the love you two now know. Enjoy it. It's why I've never wanted anyone else after your mother died."

"I know, Dad," I replied with understanding. "I feel the same way about Astrid."

"Astrid," Snotlout now said, dismounting from his dragon, "I brought your dragon. She came, just as you said she would. Here's your headband back," he said quietly.

"I'll take that," I said, just claiming Astrid's headband out of Snotlout's hand myself.

Astrid just smiled at me as I now spread her leather headband between both my hands and gently placed it back on her head, even arranging her hair again, just as it once was.

"You wouldn't be Astrid, my Astrid, without it," I said, proudly claiming her as my own in front of everyone around us.

Astrid now just threw her arms around me and kissed me, hard, as everyone around us cheered.

"My Viking," Astrid said as she hugged me intensely. "My Hiccup."

"You, Astrid, Toothless . . . you saved our village, our people," my father said with tears of pride and admiration in his eyes. "What can we do for you, now?"

"I want to heal Toothless," I responded, "do whatever it takes. But," I said, looking at my dragon friend and his wounds, "I don't think he can be moved for now. I need to be able to stabilize him here, and figure out a way to get that beam safely out of him. It'll take some time though."

"Winter's coming fast now, Hiccup," my father cautioned. "If you and Toothless don't leave, you'll have to stay here. This cove becomes inaccessible, outside of summer. That's why there's not a permanent village here."

"Then that's what I'll do," I decided.

I looked at Astrid now. "But you don't have to," I said. "You can winter at the village — protect everyone there, for us."

"My home," she replied, "is with you now. You and Toothless stay here, so do I."

"Astrid . . ." I cautioned. "A winter alone here could be hard."

"With you and Toothless," she said, "we will make it a heaven. I just know we will."

I could only hug my wife as my father looked on warmly.

"You will have what you need here," he decided. "A house, supplies . . ."

"And a workshop," I added. "I'll need to be able to make things with wood, metal, and fabric . . . to help both Toothless, and us."

"But one thing is yet to be decided," a gentle, elderly voice said as a small figure approached.

My father stood aside as the Elder passed him and faced Astrid, Toothless, and I.

"She insisted on coming," my father explained.

"Your dragon has not been given a choice, yet," Elder Gothi said. "He may be crippled for life now, unable to walk or fly. Have you asked him if he wants to live that way? You must first allow him to make a choice. You cannot just keep him alive out of a sense of guilt or obligation, or because you want it. It must be his choice."

Suddenly, I realized the Elder was right . . . and I knew how to ask Toothless.

I now picked up one of the enemy's lethal spears, and planted it in the ground, near Toothless, pointing it towards him. Then, I stood a short distance away from it, on the other side of his head.

"Toothless . . . buddy . . . friend," I said, looking at him. "What do you want? Do you want life, with Astrid and me? It may not be easy. You may never fly again, as I know you love to," I noted with tears now in my eyes.

"Or," I continued, "do you want to be released from life? To be free of your injuries . . . free of everything. To soar . . . to Valhalla."

Even though I could see he was in real pain, Toothless looked at both me, and the spear. Then, I could see him looking back towards me . . . at my leg rig, my own limitation.

Finally, he gave his head a quick tilt, gesturing for me to come closer. He turned his head towards me again, and looked at me with both of his large, gentle eyes.

I looked at him as I began crying for him again. I could see his was in such pain as his whole body was quivering, even though he was trying to hide it at the moment.

"I . . . I will release you, Toothless," I wept, "help you to die . . . if that's what you want."

I briefly wept at the irony of the situation. I had been poised to kill Toothless while he was injured once before. Now, here we were again. But it was going to be even harder . . . so much harder . . . this time than it had been the last, if I could even make myself do it at his request.

"If you want to go . . . Toothless," I said hoarsely, with tears flowing down my cheeks, "just look at the spear for me . . . just look at the spear."

I broke down sobbing again as I kept looking at him, unable to stop.

Toothless didn't look at the spear.

Instead, to my surprise, he moved his head closer towards me . . . reaching for me, trying to move his entire self towards me.

I couldn't bear to watch him struggle. So I now moved closer to him, helping him close the remaining distance between us.

Then, he nudged his head against me . . . and kept it there, as his eyes closed. I resisted hugging him back, wanting his choice to be clear and deliberate. He did not move his head from nudging against me.

I cried again, beginning to inwardly know what he was telling me.

Astrid came up next to me, putting an arm around me as she gently laid her other hand on Toothless. "He's made his choice," she said, moved to tears herself. "He wants life . . . with you . . . and me. That's what we will give him — no matter what it takes, or where it takes us . . . okay?"

"I am so blessed . . ." I openly wept, humbled by the love and commitment that both Toothless and Astrid were now showing me. I leaned down and extended one arm around Toothless' large head, as I gripped my wife tightly with my other arm as she embraced me as well. Toothless gave a contented sigh. Despite the pain I knew he was in, he was happy now, too.

"It is going to be a wonderful winter for us," Astrid tearfully sighed next to me, "the best I've ever known."

— — — — —

After sending the enemy captives away on their remaining usable ships, and even giving them one of ours, along with an escort of our own to make sure they left our waters; my father, Gobber, and a number of villagers helped to quickly build a longhouse for Astrid, Toothless, and I . . . right around Toothless, where he was having to lay. While I was able to safely, and slowly, remove the remaining spears in him, the Elder encouraged me to allow Toothless to regain his strength some, before figuring a way to extract the beam out of him, one that wouldn't cause him to bleed to death.

The Elder also spent time teaching Astrid about plants and herbs that would both heal, and ease pain. Plus, Astrid's mother made sure she knew how to run a house as well.

"You will never, _ever_ just be my housewife," I assured her though.

Astrid hugged me every time I told her that.

Meanwhile, Gobber helped me quickly build and outfit the workshop I would need on one side of the house — the side Toothless was wounded on, so I could work on him directly with everything I needed ready at hand, even a drawing board. Gobber also sent for a forge and other supplies that were delivered on the last ships that were able to reach us before the seasons changed.

"Just one wee bit of advice," he said to me as we were making final checks on the forge after it had been installed in the workshop corner of the house, "don't blame Astrid if your socks go missing . . . especially the left ones."

I did not understand _what_ he was talking about, but I thanked him anyway.

We had all been working day and night for several days straight, as the winds of fall began picking up, and we saw clouds heralding the first storms of the season approach. Just before the weather and ice started closing in, we finished.

There was just one detail, one event left to be taken care of . . .

"I now call upon Odin, Thor, and all the gods to bless this house, and the family that will occupy it!" my father proclaimed.

Astrid just nudged me in joy, as we stood before my father in front of the door to our new house, as Toothless looked on from inside between my father and us.

"And, as you all know, there is nothing more sacred in our tradition than an honourable victory in battle . . . except finding and fighting beside, even fighting for love, true love, in battle. Those lucky devils who find such a treasure are changed by it, and find their life together is a Valhalla on Earth, for however long . . . or short," he now said looking down, "it may be."

"The celebration we offer these two proud warriors here though," my father continued, "pales in comparison to what the gods have already blessed them with, as they made their commitment to each other before battle. That was their true wedding . . . one which no warriors who have experienced it would ever trade for mere ceremonies such as this!"

Astrid and I could not stop looking at each other now as everyone cheered us for having married before battle. We were now heroes, even legends, among our people for that alone. There would be songs sung about us for sure before long.

"All the rest of us can do," my father now said with emotion, "is to recognize, honour, and celebrate what these two see, and have now, in each other. Therefore, I can only thank the gods for the commitment, and love, that my son Hiccup, and his bride and wife, Astrid, now already share. I pray, I earnestly pray, that they now share a long, fruitful, and joyous life together . . . and that they never, never want for lack of each other's companionship. To Hiccup, and to Astrid . . . husband and wife!"

A great cheer rose around us, as my wife and I claimed each other once more, and kissed, hard.

"That," she said softly to me, "is for everything yet to come."

I could only hug her.

But almost on cue, the winds of winter began to blow gentle blasts, heralding their arrival, unfortunately cutting the celebratory feast short.

Astrid was actually relieved. "Feasting is fine," she had already said to me beforehand. "But I will _not_ allow them to get you stinking drunk with mead, and leave me to deal with it afterwards!" I wisely chose to agree with her.

She now just had a satisfied smile on her face as everyone proceeded to reboard their ships for the voyage back to the village . . . back to Berk, where Astrid and I no longer lived, for now.

"Hiccup," my father now said to me as he turned to board the last of our ships, "stay safe, and return to us when you can. Our village is not complete without you."

"We will, Dad," I said for my own family now — both human, and dragon.

— — — — —

Through the large, open door of our new home, Astrid, Toothless, and I, along with Astrid's Nadder, watched as the ships from our village sailed out of what was now our cove, leaving us alone for the winter.

"I love you," Astrid said, turning to me, "and this, all of it."

I could not disagree with my wife as I held her.

I also gently stroked a still immobile Toothless on the head as well, as he now looked up at me.

"I will heal you," I said to him. "I promise."

The only thing I could perceive from Toothless was gratitude, and a sense of deep joy.

The four of us were now safe, home and together.

But I knew there was more to come.


	6. Chapter 6

What do you do when the battle's over, the victory is won, you find yourself married to the partner of your dreams . . . and the last guest leaves?

I just had no idea.

None of our heroic or romantic Viking stories, sagas or songs had ever said what comes after 'happily ever after'.

But Astrid seemed to know . . . somehow.

She just smiled as she closed and secured the door to our house as the first hard winds and rain now swept into our cove after the last ships had departed.

"Hello . . . husband," she greeted charmingly as she just came over to my dumbfounded self and warmly hugged and kissed me again. "It's now just us . . . for months," she smiled as she stretched her arms around my shoulders and gave me what I can only describe as a soul-melting kiss.

She definitely had something in mind here.

"I . . . I," . . . all shred of Vikingness had suddenly left me.

"Okay," she sighed, still with a smile as she now rubbed her hands through my hair, but looking at me directly. "First rule around here is to juuusst reelllaaaxx, alright? Breathe deeeep with me . . . right nooww . . . juusst ssloooww doown."

Even though I loved Astrid deeply, had fought a pitched battle for her, and almost died with her . . . I now felt like I was suddenly living with a complete stranger . . . a beautiful one . . . but someone I had never shared a home with before. Heck, there hadn't been any female in the house I had been living in since my mother died . . . and I could barely remember her!

As I loosely hugged Astrid back and just looked at the floor behind her, I suddenly realized that she would see me changing, bathing . . . everything. And, she would see what was above my leg rig . . . the hideous stump that was now my left leg below the knee. I had allowed no one besides Toothless to see that once I had regained consciousness again, after the battle he and I had fought against the giant Red Death dragon.

"I'd . . . better check on Toothless again," I now stalled.

"Good idea," Astrid accepted. "Let's do it together. You can teach me what I should be watching for."

So I started leading her, limping, as we checked on Toothless' healing wounds together. He seemed to be dozing, but I could detect an eye following us. I tested how he was doing with the beam still through him. Even slightly pressing on the beam caused him to moan deeply with pain.

"Sorry, I woke you, pal," I apologized to him. "Go back to sleep . . . rest."

"Okay, I'm going to up the amount of pain relieving herbal tea I'm giving him," Astrid decided next to me. "I may try brewing some other things, too, and see if that helps."

"With it hurting him this much," I sighed, " . . . I don't know how I'm ever going to get this beam out of him."

"You will," Astrid assured me with a kiss on the cheek. "We will . . . together. Give it, give him, and give yourself a little time here. It will come to you . . . I just know it will."

"How can you be so sure about this?" I openly asked her, almost with skepticism . . . even a little irritation or hostility, not having nearly the faith in myself that she seemed to.

"Because I never believed anyone could befriend or ride a dragon . . . until you did," she answered directly. "I wouldn't have known how to even begin to do that . . . heck, I wouldn't have given the dragon a chance! But you did. It may not have come to you all at once . . . you may not have felt you knew what you were doing at times. But you let your heart and your spirit lead the way . . . and you did it. I know you'll do it now, too . . . when time and other things are right."

I just couldn't accept that assurance from her.

I had screwed up, I told myself. I had allowed my best friend to get critically wounded. My mistake had condemned all of us now to a winter of total isolation, a long way from our village. Why wasn't everyone else as mad at me for this as I was?

Surprising even myself, I just turned and started limping to check on the rest of Toothless.

"Okay, Rule Number Two," Astrid said behind me, ". . . when your partner asks what's going on inside you, you tell them, okay? So Hiccup, what's going on inside you? I want to know right now; otherwise we could soon fall into habits here . . . bad habits, that could make life in this house . . . in our house . . . hell."

"How do you know about all this stuff?" I asked with some irritation, turning towards her from a short distance away now. "How are you just so comfortable with an almost complete stranger? Especially one who's gotten us stuck out here, in the middle of nowhere?"

"Because I love you," she said, seeming almost shocked at my words. "Hiccup, I'm new to you . . . I know that. But please . . . please don't call either me or yourself a stranger here, ever again. That hurts me . . . it even says to me that you don't love me. And I know that's not true . . . especially after we almost died in battle together. Please take that back . . . now . . . please."

"I . . . I'm sorry," I said now looking down, realizing I had hurt her. "I'm sorry I called either of us a stranger just now. I take it back. It won't happen again," I pledged. "Screwed up again," I sighed though, almost kicking myself. Sadly, that was the one thing now that once felt normal to me.

"No, Hiccup . . . you haven't," she gently assured.

"But Astrid, you don't know that much about me, really," I said, barely able to look at her now. "We were just thrown together by circumstances . . ."

"You missed me when I disappeared," Astrid softly replied, trying to help me find the reasons I fell in love with her.

"I did," I had to admit as I looked down. "I've always been attracted to you . . . but I never knew what to do with it. Never thought I'd get the chance! I also felt drawn to you, though . . . especially when I saw you were sad, and hungry, and cold, and hurt . . ." I remembered, looking at her now as she walked towards me, closing the distance between us.

"I'm none of those things right now," she noted as she put her arms on me gently. She seemed uncertain, and it began to feel like something was almost being lost now between us. "Think you could be drawn to me anyway?"

"I don't know what's wrong . . . with me," I sighed, not wanting her to think she was doing anything wrong at least. "Now that the battle and the busyness here are over . . . I don't know . . ."

"What are you afraid of, Hiccup?" she interjected, as she embraced me again. "Don't think this time . . . just tell me, right now."

"My leg," I immediately responded, inwardly amazed I had just let it out like that. "My left leg," I sighed looking down.

"What about it?" Astrid continued calmly, looking directly at me.

I held her tight, looking past her. "It's hideous," I said, trying to maintain self-control over a part of me I had not been able to accept. "I don't want you to see it . . . I just don't, okay?"

"Hiccup . . . thank you for being honest with me . . . for telling me what you're afraid of now," she gently said to me. "I knew something was bothering you. Now that we've checked on Toothless though, and he's basically falling back asleep . . . would you let this stranger here who loves you . . . check on you now for the night?"

"What do you mean?" I asked uncertainly, still feeling conflicted.

"Take care of you," she replied, " . . . likely in ways no one ever has. And probably in ways you haven't allowed, or even seen, since you have no brothers or sisters."

"Hiccup, exchanging vows is easy," Astrid said, now changing tone a little. "Living them though . . . that's something else. You want to know why I seem to know so much about marriage?" she asked. "Why I'm so comfortable with it? It's because I'm the youngest of my mother's children in my family. All my brothers and sisters have married ahead of me . . . and in keeping with Viking custom, my brothers and their wives have all continued living together with my mother and I in the same big house. So I've already been exposed to most every up and down anyone could ever know in marriage. Even my mom's shared a few things with me. I know what makes marriages good, even heaven to be in. I also know what makes them a living hell that can make you want to die to get out of. One of my sisters left her husband and came back home to us for just those reasons."

"Hiccup," she continued. "We still have battles ahead of us. But our enemies here are not warriors . . . they're silence, they're indifference, they're shutting your partner out, hiding things or even hiding yourself from her. Pushing her so far away into second place behind things like fear and inadequacy . . . or even most anything else . . . that she falls off a cliff . . . or at least out of your life."

"I love you so fiercely," she said with tears in her eyes. "I want nothing less than Heaven on Earth, Valhalla, right here for us . . . starting right now. And I am fighting for that . . . for your heart, your soul, your spirit . . . even now. I want them, Hiccup. I want them to be mine . . . as you promised they would be. But you have to give them to me . . . you have to let me in."

"And," she finished, ". . . you have to let me see that leg. I want to see it, right now . . . because I love you. And that means I love all that you are . . . every inch of you, from head to toe . . . to stump."

Hearing that, I could no longer help myself. I hugged her tightly, and cried . . . openly and hard, finally releasing my long pent-up trauma at the loss of my leg, and at the shock of seeing that stump, that awful remnant of my leg, that had taken its place.

"It's alright," Astrid soothed me as she held me close, rocking me gently. "It's alright . . ."

"I'm hideous . . ." I whispered as I cried. "I've seen it . . ."

"No, Hiccup. You're beautiful to me . . . all of you," this angel of a woman assured as she held me. "Let me guide you to our bed and show you."

"I . . . I haven't even really seen our bed yet," I tearfully joked.

"I know," Astrid warmly replied. "I've kept it in pieces and hidden, while everyone was working here. I wanted to surprise you with it, as my marriage present to you. Here it is," she gestured as we walked, or I limped, around Toothless' tail together.

"Astrid . . ." I said with wonder, seeing a beautiful wooden bed for two. But instead of the woven mats on hard planks that I was used to . . . this one had a huge, plush canvas pillow running its entire length, with soft, thick quilts on top of it, and large pillows to rest our heads on, too. I had never seen anything like it.

"You're probably wondering what the big, white plush thing on the boards is," Astrid guessed. "It's called a 'mattress'. My family discovered them on voyages to Frankish and Celtic lands to the south of us. My father originally brought one home, and my mother has sworn by it ever since. It's just a bag made of the softest canvas and stuffed with sheep's wool. I wouldn't sleep any other way now. I know you'll love it! Here, sit on it," she invited.

I turned and sat down on it, almost losing my balance backwards as I sank down into it.

"Whoa!" I exclaimed as Astrid laughed and caught my arms, keeping me upright.

"See?" she said with a smile.

"Astrid . . . this is so nice," I said as I looked around and ran my hands along the softest quilts and pillows I'd ever touched.

"It helps to be part of a voyaging and trading family," she said. "Fabrics, silks, things you never knew existed, from places you never heard of. We have lots of fish and some sheep, others are willing to give us this for our fish and wool. Being Vikings of course, we used to just take some of it . . . but my family found people are more willing to deal with us when we trade with them, instead of raid them. It seems to be working better, so far."

"But here," she gently offered, kneeling down before me, ". . . let me relieve you of this uncomfortable leg 'rig' as I've heard you call it."

"Astrid," I now cautioned as she started to undo the straps that held it to my leg.

"Trust me," she asked, looking at me.

Toothless had taught me what it was to truly, even blindly, trust another. I could not give Astrid less than I had already given to Toothless. I sighed and now nodded my head. "Okay," I said, allowing Astrid to proceed.

Astrid now undid the last of the leg rig's straps, and carefully removed it from around my pant leg.

She looked at my leg rig as she turned it in her hands for a moment. "I'm going to have to do something with this," she said.

"What?" I asked.

"You'll see . . ." she replied with a mysterious smile as she laid the rig out of the way.

Then I found myself tensing as she began to lift my left pant leg up. She sensed that and stopped, coming up to me.

"I love you," she said, giving me a kiss on the lips. "Let me prove that to you . . . really prove that to you, now."

She knelt back down again and ran her hands down my left pant leg, touching my stump through the fabric firmly. I gasped, having never sensed human hands, not really even my own, there since my amputation months ago now.

Astrid then gently lifted the pant leg up, exposing my stump. I shuddered, even looking at it myself, let alone at the prospect of her actually touching it.

"It's okay," she assured, ". . . even good," as she now touched her right hand to my stump, wrapping her fingers around it, and beginning to gently caress it.

I took a deep, sharp breath, shaking my head at the surprising flood of sensations I was now experiencing. I was awed by the most basic human kindness she was now so patiently . . . so lovingly . . . showing me.

"This leg saved us from that giant dragon, you know," Astrid said as she now firmly rubbed my stump with both her hands as she looked first at it, and then up at me. "I'm grateful to it . . . very grateful."

She now bent further down as she raised my stump, my left knee obediently straightening for her. I cried now . . . as she kissed the mottled, rounded end of my leg, right on the stump. She kissed it . . . long and gently.

"That's how much I love you," she now said, looking up at me as she continued to cradle my bared stump in her hands.

"Come here, please," I gently sobbed as I held out my hands for her. She gently rose into my arms as I cried again and we held each other tightly, falling back onto the incredibly soft bed.

"Welcome home," Astrid gently said to me as we laid on our bed together for the first time.

"Astrid . . ." I tearfully whispered, unable to say anything else.

She just lovingly held me for a moment as I cried again . . . at the beauty, the sheer love, of what she had just done for me.

"You're amazing," I sighed as I finally ran out of tears, and just looked at her as she looked at me . . . sideways on the mattress.

"You are just as amazing to me in your own ways," she assured as she caressed the side of my face with a hand.

I didn't know what to feel anymore.

But Astrid did.

"Problem with a white mattress and nice fabrics though," she said, lightening the mood between us now, ". . . is keeping it all clean. Sooo, now that we've dealt with your stump, and you know it will never, ever scare me away . . ."

"How did you know that?" I interrupted in wonder, while still recovering myself. "Know that I was afraid of that?"

"I knew," she just assured. "You don't almost die for a person, and then push them away on your first marriage night together . . . without being really afraid that they'll find out something about you that you hate or revile. I've got a stump or two in my family, too. A brother of mine had this problem with his new wife once. My mom had to coach her how to get past his fears of losing her over this."

"But you, sir, have a woman here who is as ready, and good, at being a wife, as she is a warrior," Astrid confidently noted. "I don't like to lose . . . in battle, or in love. But . . . how about I show you my second surprise . . . one that will allow us to keep this bed clean . . ."

"But I don't have any surprises for you," I confessed, looking downcast as we got up from the bed.

"You don't think designing this whole house for us isn't a wonderful marriage present in itself?" she said as she looked all around us. "'Cause I do! Your innovations . . . like attaching a storehouse for our chilled and eventually frozen foods to the outside of our house, right next to the fireplace and cauldron that I can get to without going outside! Not to mention the stream you found and diverted right under a corner of our house, under a flat stone in the floor, so we don't have to go outside to a well to get water! Hiccup . . . those are all brilliant. And they're gifts from you that I will treasure every day here!"

I just took her back into my arms as we stood up again, and kissed her, feeling relieved.

"It's okay, Hiccup . . . it really is," Astrid assured me as she held me. "You are safe with me . . . and you are loved . . . you are truly loved. Here. Now. By me."

"Come," she invited with a smile, as she supported me on my left side as I now hopped along on my right leg. "My next surprise is just a few feet this way."

Astrid proceeded to amaze me again as she helped me towards the front of our house, and showed me a deep, oblong wooden tub near our fireplace and cauldron, filled with steaming water.

"I put in boiling water a while ago," she said. "So it should be just right now. Yep," she said, leaning over and putting a hand in, ". . . it's ready."

"Relax . . . this'll be fun," Astrid encouraged as she sat me down on the edge of the tub, while she relieved me of my sheepskin vest.

I still just wasn't sure. Even hand-to-hand combat seemed easier and more straightforward than all this . . . not that I did at all well at that, either.

But I could see that Astrid was really trying . . . that she meant nothing but good for me . . . and that I was kind of testing her patience . . . not to mention my own, really.

So I took a breath and allowed her to proceed as she now removed my tunic . . .

— — — — —

"You relaxed now?" she asked as we soaked in the tub a while later, while she reclined with her back against me. Her large hair braid was now undone, and the recently washed hair on her head now smelled so fresh and clean against my nose.

"Sorry," I replied lifting my head as I had momentarily been entranced by the fresh aroma and feel of her hair. "All this is just completely . . ."

"Foreign to you?" she picked up.

"I guess so," I admitted. "Look, Astrid, I'm sorry . . ."

"Nu uh," she interrupted. "Rule Number Three . . . explanations and thoughts are always welcome — but no apologies when your partner feels so loved as I do now."

"This is what marriage is, Hiccup," she continued, ". . . and ours is off to a good start here . . . it is. It's the one time you share everything in life . . . because you choose to, and your partner does, too. And your partner is the one person who sees you, as you really are, inside and out . . . and they love what they see, even when you don't. Wouldn't you like to be loved, Hiccup . . . unconditionally? Have someone right beside you, even back during Dragon Training, when everyone else . . . including me, walked out on you that night when you came to dinner late and Gobber gave us the Dragon Manual?"

"I'm sorry I did that, too, by the way," she said as she turned her head and kissed me. "But could I tell you something along those lines?" she asked.

"Sure," I invited as I held her more tightly in the water. "For some reason," I now decided to just say to her, ". . . it's so much easier for me to care about you . . . anytime . . . than it is to let you care about me . . . especially the 'awkward' or even 'ugly' me."

"I know, Hiccup," she said, snuggling closer to me. "It's been hard for you. I understand that . . . I do."

That really got to me . . . melting my caution, even my entire being towards her now as I held her more tightly from behind while we sat in the tub. Astrid was right . . . this was a battle within me . . . a battle of trust . . . trust that she wouldn't wind up doing what most everyone else had to me in the past.

"Just know though," she continued, " . . . that you are never ugly or awkward anymore to me. I'll admit I once thought you were a real klutz, okay? Even a menace to the village, and someone to be avoided in the dragon ring."

"Thank you . . . for that glowing assessment," I interrupted, using one of my old fallback sarcasms. _I __knew__ it was too good to be true!_ my conscience now screamed at me.

"Rule Number Four," she shot back, while reassuringly holding my arms tightly across her. "Don't interrupt your partner when she's trying to give you an apology from deep within her heart, and be totally, even dangerously candid and honest with you. I want to confess that I _once_ thought those things about you, so that I could ask for your forgiveness, your real forgiveness, now, okay?"

"I'm sorry, Astrid," I apologized. "I . . . I'm just not seeming to get anything right here."

"Hiccup . . . I'm alive . . . Toothless is alive . . . and I'm in love with you, because you got something right . . . so very right," she reminded me. "You grew . . . you became a different person around this cove. But Hiccup . . . I'm sorry, too," she apologized, now looking at me. "I was wrong about you. I was _so_ wrong about you in the past!" she said with surprising forcefulness.

She just sighed, leaned back some more against me, and looked into my eyes for a moment as she held my arms around her.

"Would you forgive me?" she said with earnestness now in her eyes.

"Of course I forgive you, Astrid," I said.

"Do you forgive me?" she repeated. "Really forgive me?"

"How can I prove to you that I do?" I asked, " . . . beyond saying it?"

"By not letting it haunt you anymore . . . like you have been, even around here," she said . . . as if she knew my very soul . . . as if she'd actually been there inside me already.

"Wow . . ." I could only say, caught off-guard as I now looked off into the water in front of us.

"That's how much I want you to forgive me," she invited knowingly.

I just looked at her, looking back at me . . . in the tub.

"This is all so weird!" I sighed to her.

"It's alright . . ." she soothed to me. "Let it be wonderful," she suggested, ". . . and it will be. This is your part of the fight, the battle, in our marriage, Hiccup. It's hard. I know it is. I can see it, right now. But, you win this one and . . ."

"And what?" I asked.

Astrid just reached up a wet hand and arm behind my head and kissed me . . . hard. I couldn't help but instinctively embrace my arms around her more tightly as we did.

"Mmmmmm . . ." she now sighed with contentment as she relaxed against me once more.

I wanted her to win now . . . to win me over. I kissed her again . . . I had to.

"Yeah . . ." she sighed approvingly, smiling, stroking my hair with her wet hand.

"Got it," I now said as we emerged from our second kiss, ". . . I think."

"Don't worry, we'll get there . . . together," she then assured as she caressed my head with her hand a moment longer. "But, could I tell you something that I've been wanting to? I just have really been wanting to share this with you."

"Sure, go ahead," I invited a second time . . . being only too glad to focus on her, and take a break from working on my seemingly intractable self.

"Do you know why I greeted you so enthusiastically when we saw each other at the cliff those two times?" she asked.

"Why?" I just asked, wanting to hear her answer.

Astrid now turned herself sideways towards me in the tub and buried her face against my neck and shoulder as she put her arms around me. "It's because," she said with a sudden sadness, " . . . I . . . I had been calling you to me . . . every time they were hitting or frightening me."

She now held me tighter, pressing her head against my neck, and bringing her knees up against herself in the water . . . almost like she was trying to shield or protect herself from something. I began cradling her more closely against me, too, as I listened to her.

"I was holding on to you so tightly in my mind," she softly cried, ". . . every time they hurt me . . . demanding to know where Berk really was, or who was really giving me all those fish, and ready to attack them . . ."

Now I held Astrid tightly in the tub, knowing that she needed me. This was about her now. I laid myself, and my doubts, aside.

"I'm with you, Astrid . . . right here with you," I whispered to her instinctively.

"I knew you'd rescue me . . ." she said, crying against me with a quiet intensity. She was terrified now. "I knew . . . that you'd be enduring this with me. It's the only way I can keep myself from saying, 'Berk's that way . . . it's that way,' or from saying, 'Hiccup's helping me . . . with a dragon . . . he's giving me the fish.'"

"They're hitting me, Hiccup," she whispered intensely as I held her tightly.

"I'm here, Astrid," I assured, knowing somehow what she needed to hear from me. "I am sharing it all with you. You are not alone, Astrid. You are not alone. I am with you, through it all . . . together."

"I can't hold out on my own anymore," she said in quiet desperation as she gripped me tightly with her arms now. "I can't do it alone. I . . . I reached for you . . . into the future . . . to keep myself silent. I saw us together. Me curled up safely with you . . . right in this tub. You are my companion, Hiccup . . . the only one who can understand me in all this . . . who can help me . . . share and endure this with me . . . who can keep me strong against them . . ."

I could tell she was right back in her captivity again, reliving it all with horrifying intensity. Astrid loved me, yes . . . but this was why she needed me right now.

She now raised her head.

"Keep me from telling them," she said, quivering. "Kiss me . . . please. Cover my mouth . . . keep me silent . . ."

I felt such compassion for Astrid now. I tearfully kissed her . . . hard . . . for as long as she wanted. I cried with her. I now felt, even endured, her agony with her, right through our kiss. I took all she was feeling onto myself . . . even into my heart.

Astrid occasionally moaned, whimpered . . . even cried out into my mouth . . . as if she was being hit all over again. I wept, bitterly . . . for her . . . with her.

I could feel her drawing on every ounce of strength she had to resist saying a single word under force. I could feel her reaching across the time and distance that separated now from then . . . me from her. I could feel her drawing upon me to help her keep silent. I allowed her spirit to take from mine as much as she needed . . . to even take me with her.

I was seeing into her soul now . . . the darkest recesses of it. Astrid had taken it upon herself . . . willingly . . . to protect me, our whole village . . . with her silence during these questionings. I knew now that when they tried to force answers out of her . . . she had made a warrior's choice not to reward them with even a single word.

I was in awe of this woman now . . . tearful awe.

'Warrior' didn't begin to describe what she was now . . . I didn't have a word to describe _who_ she was, other than her name . . . Astrid.

I wanted to hate the people . . . the _things_ . . . that had done this to her as I kissed her. But somehow, Astrid wouldn't let me. She demanded . . . she drew upon, all of my heart . . . my entire being now.

I gave it to her . . . all that I was, all that I would be . . . forever . . . right at that moment.

Astrid finally broke off our kiss and buried her face against my neck, crying hard with halting breaths . . . struggling to return to the present . . . returning me to the present.

I gazed at her as I held her, feeling emotionally drained. I noticed she was beginning to shiver, with goose bumps on her shoulder. I realized it wasn't from terror though . . . the water in our tub was beginning to get cold.

"Let's get to bed, Astrid," I gently suggested, still recovering myself as I looked at her.

I was so totally hers now.

Astrid's breathing finally slowed. But she was still tense, gripping me hard and close.

"Yeah . . . let's . . ." she haltingly agreed, touching her forehead to my cheek and vacantly looking at or past my neck. She seemed stuck . . . halfway between her terrifying past and a warm, safe present.

We slowly helped each other to stand up in the tub.

"Sorry . . ." she said, remembering now that I really only had one full leg as I struggled to get both her and myself upright again.

"It's alright, Astrid, my wife . . ." I gently assured, holding her tightly as we both now shivered a little in the cooler air around us.

"Th-Thank you . . ." she said, still feeling stunned and unsteady. I just hugged and kissed her again.

I was going to take care of us now . . . and I knew exactly what to do.

Balancing on my one full leg, I reached for sheepskins to dry my wife and I. I just dried her first, and then myself, as she shivered, remaining almost stunned as I briefly braced myself against her.

She helped me a little, but, "That's okay," I gently said.

"Sorry," she gently apologized, with an almost lost look still in her eyes.

"Come here," I invited, wrapping her close to me under the sheepskin I was using. "It's alright," I assured. "It's alright . . ."

She just leaned against me closely, accepting my guidance as I then ushered her to bed, helping her settle under those soft, comforting covers.

"I'll be alright," she tried to assure as she looked past me, somewhat still in shock.

"I know you will," I assured, " . . . because I'll help you. I will always help you now, Astrid."

"Thank you, Hiccup," she quietly said to me as I tucked her into the bed for a moment.

"Be right back," I promised with a gentle smile and a kiss.

I then quickly hopped over to our fireplace with the help of a handy stick to stoke the fire for the night one more time, while I kept myself wrapped in a sheepskin. I discovered that, right now, it was actually easier for me to get around without my leg rig than with it!

I then briefly turned and looked at Toothless, sleeping peacefully . . . still in the exact same spot where he had fallen during the battle.

"I'm so sorry," I whispered to him again.

His eye opened and gently looked at me. It was wise and understanding. But it was telling me . . . _Don't be sorry. This now, it's good._

Toothless then closed his eye again and returned to sleep.

Once again I was awed by the love now surrounding me . . . from both my best friend, and from my wife. Both were telling me things were good, even great . . . and that I was good, even wonderful . . . just as I was.

I checked to see that Astrid's Nadder was also peacefully sleeping in the far corner of the house. Then I hopped back to bed, where I saw a sad but beautiful angel of a woman waiting for me. The sight of her now brought fresh tears to my eyes.

Astrid reached an arm for me, inviting me in.

With the most profound compassion and love I had ever known, I joined my wife in our bed, for the first time.

"I'm scared to fall asleep tonight," she confessed, as I settled under the incredibly comfortable covers and she now huddled against me.

"Astrid, I am here, right here," I assured as I welcomed her into my arms. "We live as one . . ."

"We fight as one . . ." she tearfully smiled now as she held me very tightly.

"We love . . . as one," I finished as I held her tightly, too, ". . . all through this night, and way, way beyond . . . against anything nightmares can throw at either of us."

"Hiccup?" she said, her tears drying now.

"What, Astrid?" I gently asked.

"Could we say our vows together every night as we go to bed?" she requested. "Or maybe in the morning . . . as a way to start our day, reminding ourselves what's important."

"I'd love to," I assured her. "I would honestly love to . . . whichever way you want . . . even both."

Astrid just continued to hug me tightly for a moment as I held her.

"Now _this_," she quietly marveled as she held me even tighter, ". . . is getting good."

"It is," I agreed.

"You know," she added, " . . . I love to hear and feel your voice vibrate through your shoulder . . . sense you breathe . . . and treasure the steady beating of your heart as I lie here against you."

I could only cradle her against me more as I gently smiled.

"All of it . . . all of me, are yours, Astrid," I finally said as I kissed her forehead.

"Hiccup," she whispered, " . . . I feel . . . so loved."

"You are," I assured her, simply unable to hold her any closer or tighter. "You are, Astrid . . . and you always will be . . ."

"Thank you, Hiccup," she said now beginning to fade off to sleep safe and secure in my arms in tearful joy. "Thank you . . . so much . . . I love you . . ."

"I love you, too, Astrid," I assured with one more tight hug. I kept my eyes open for the moment, almost wanting to keep watch over her now. I shed a few tears . . . of profound love.

A few soothing moments of silence passed as we held each other.

"Hiccup?" she said softly.

"What is it, Astrid?" I gently replied.

"My mother didn't say a thing either . . . when they asked her questions by force," she quietly confessed. "She made me swear . . . on your heart, not mine . . . that I wouldn't say a thing . . . anything at all . . . no matter what happened to her . . . to either of us under force. She said we could not reward them for this . . . with even a lie. My mother warned me that once I started answering them under force, I couldn't trust myself to know where to stop . . . and that they knew that. So I'd tell them lies . . . very sincere ones, as truthfully as I could when they treated me decently. My mother and I would even willingly fish and cook for them, which seemed to win their trust when I needed it. But once they hit me, I'd stop talking. Then, they knew I was fighting them . . . and it made them mad. But I won, Hiccup. They never forced a thing out of me, other than screams."

"Astrid . . ." I sighed with tears of the deepest love and admiration in my eyes. "I love you . . . so much . . . for what you did there."

"You are my reward, Hiccup," she said with tears in her own eyes. "You are why I endured that . . . who I fought for . . ."

"Astrid . . ." I cried in love, holding her . . . rocking her . . . treasuring her . . . so tightly. She cried with me, too—holding and treasuring me, just as much.

"My mother told me just to think of you during it all," Astrid continued a moment later, nestled tight against me, "during everything that happened . . . to just love you, as she was loving my father. She knew I wouldn't violate an oath I made on your heart. She knew how much I loved you . . . how much I belonged with you . . . even before I did. She had made the same oath on my departed father's heart to keep her from saying anything while she saw what I went through. She knows the power of love, Hiccup . . . and I am so proud to call her my mother."

"Astrid . . . I don't know what more to say," I whispered amid my tears.

"It's alright, my love," she assured as she raised her head again level with mine on our pillows, caressing my cheek with her hand, as she tearfully yet joyfully looked at me. "I want you to know _why_ I love you so much . . . what led to the love I have for you now. Why I love you, ferociously, to the point I'm willing to fight even the gods for you, and so much more."

"But don't try and be worthy of it, Hiccup," she asked though, somehow knowing how I was feeling, " . . . don't . . . because my love for you is a gift . . . one that I give to you, absolutely freely. Just give me your own love, that's all you can ever do. That's all I ever want you to."

"This is why I treasure it so much though, Hiccup," Astrid continued, placing her hand on my heart, " . . . this is why I treasure your heart. My mother and I would have willingly died . . . before I would betray this heart of yours."

"Astrid," I said humbled, with my arms gently around her. "My heart _is_ yours."

"I know," she simply said, moving in to softly but fully kiss my lips. We embraced each other again for a moment, before Astrid settled her face back against my neck and shoulder.

"Astrid?" I whispered, remembering something.

"Yes, Hiccup," she gently replied.

"If you need to," I said, holding her warmly, " . . . no, if you want to, during the night . . . if you're frightened, or scared, or even filled with love . . . please wake me, to share whatever you want, okay?"

"Hiccup . . ." she said with loving joy as she nuzzled close against me again. "Thank you . . . I will, promise. And you wake me, too . . . for any reason you want to at all, okay? That'll be Rule Number Five between us."

"I promise, Astrid," I replied gladly.

"_You are so good!"_ she whispered intensely to me, almost crying with joy.

"Astrid, I'm in awe of you," I replied.

"Just love me," she asked.

I raised and leaned my head down over her head. I could feel her eyes looking up at me, wondering what I was doing.

"I love you, Astrid," I whispered right into her ear, as her face remained buried against my neck. I felt her shudder and sigh with delight at the feel of my breath and voice upon her ear.

"I love you, Hiccup," she just had to reply, whispering it right against the base of my neck, sending shudders of incredible sensation through me as well.

I savored this woman, and she savored me . . . silently . . . intensely.

"Astrid?" I said, almost hesitating to disturb the quiet love between us again.

"What is it, my wonderful husband?" she replied, seeming to know my hesitation.

"I forgive you," I said, " . . . when you asked me earlier in the tub, to forgive you for everything bad you ever said about me . . ."

" . . . Or thought," she added.

"I think I forgot to say that I did," I noted.

"Nope . . . you told me," she assured warmly as she continued to hold me. "But tonight . . . you also showed me, in just the ways I was hoping you would . . . by being fully yourself, and not holding back when I needed all that you are. I'm lying here with you now . . . knowing that I am fully, wholly, and completely forgiven . . . and loved. I could never ask you for more than that, ever. What else is on your wonderful mind?" she then invited.

"Just you, Astrid . . . loving you," I softly replied, fully relaxed now.

"You are totally consuming my mind, too, Hiccup . . . just loving you, too . . ." she said, fading off against me. "Sweet dreams, my Hiccup . . ."

"Sweet dreams, too Astrid. You let me know if they're not," I mumbled, holding her gently, but close beside me some more.

"I will . . . promise . . ." she mumbled, re-settling herself against my shoulder.

— — — — —

Astrid and I couldn't get enough of each other now . . . but somehow, we managed to drift off to sleep, nestled oh so comfortably and blissfully embracing together.

As my awareness began to fade out at last, my previous thoughts of awkwardness . . . of being not good enough, attractive enough, enough of a man for her . . . all that just went away, never to return.

I was Astrid's husband now . . . fully.

I would never be anything less for her, ever again.

. . . I even swore it to myself . . . on her heart.


	7. Chapter 7

Home . . . alone with Astrid . . . and our two dragons, of course . . . stuck in the middle of nowhere . . .

What did I ever do to deserve such a wonderful thing as this?

I would ask myself this at times as I watched winter begin to rage outside our door . . . outside our cove. There really is no fall or spring around here . . . just a very short summer . . . and a very long winter.

But this time, I wondered if winter would last long enough for Astrid and I.

While it was exposed to the full force of winter storms from the ocean, the cove sheltered us, protected us. At first, we'd look out the door in curiosity, watching the storms blow beyond the cove in front of our house. Then it began to become normal . . . even uneventful.

The dark short days, and darker, longer nights began to blur together. We would wake up when we felt like it, or when Toothless indicated he wanted anything, and take care of things around our home . . . and each other . . . resting again when we wanted to. Astrid's Nadder would ask for attention, too at times . . . but mostly she increasingly wanted to just get outside. Astrid was concerned her Nadder might not come back for some reason, and so Astrid walked her Nadder on a rope now whenever she did take her outside.

And Astrid . . . she continued to amaze me . . .

"Here," she said, offering me a wrapped bundle one morning when it was just way too miserable to go outside.

"What's this?" I asked, looking at it.

"Open it," she just invited as she sat next to me on a bench at our dinner table.

I opened a wool blanket she had used as wrapping to reveal a long, tan-coloured woolen tunic with embroidery around the bottom, as well as around the cuffs and neck opening.

"Astrid," I sighed in wonder, looking at it.

"It's for wearing indoors on days like this," she said. "With it, you don't need to wear anything else. While you were busy building this house, my mom helped me make one of these for each of us. Oh, and I've done something else for you, too. Take a look at this . . ." she now invited, offering my leg rig back to me.

"I was wondering where this went," I said accepting it back, before noticing, ". . . Astrid, you lined the inside of it with sheepskin, where my leg rests!"

"Hopefully this will make it comfortable enough for you to wear and put weight on it, so you won't limp anymore," she said. "Gobber told me he designed this so you could run on it. The sheepskin is still removable for cleaning, thanks to these small straps here, and here," she pointed.

"Astrid . . . " I cried with a smile on my face. "You're incredible! When did you have a chance to work on my leg rig . . . without me noticing?"

"When you were sleeping in the mornings," she replied. "I just seem to wake up earlier than you do. So I decided that was a good time of day to be sneaky! Toothless of course noticed me messing about with it in your workshop. But I asked him to keep quiet about it . . . and he did. You almost caught me in the act yesterday morning though!"

"So that's why you dove back into bed!" I said with a smile.

"To allay suspicion!" she playfully grinned as she leaned against me.

I couldn't help but kiss her . . . this wonderful, incredible wife of mine.

"You know that telling me this now means you won't be able to do that again," I then noted to her.

"Oh, don't you worry," she smiled. "I'm just full of surprises."

"Astrid, what can I do for you?" I now asked, feeling guilty. "I mean I don't have anything prepared for you today."

"Who's been holding me through my captivity flashbacks here?" she asked me, moving next to me. "Who's been willing to even go back in time with me there, and hold me right through those episodes . . . as I knew, even when I was going through them, that you were?"

I had nothing to say to that, except to hold my wife tightly again.

"I'm okay," she assured with a kiss.

"I won't let you be anything less with me," I said to her in admiration.

"You're getting pretty good at this marriage thing," Astrid noted.

"I am?" I said with some surprise.

"You are to me," she said.

Once again, I could only look at her warmly . . . but totally speechless.

"Here," she then suggested, ". . . let's snuggle in these matching tunics . . . as there is definitely nothing going on for us outside today," she noted as she brought her own out now and changed into it.

Despite the storm raging outside . . . it was the nicest day I could ask for.

— — — — —

Sometimes though, I didn't know what the day would bring . . .

" . . . Morning, my love."

I felt the most marvelous presence in the world slide back in next to me under the covers as I stretched.

"Astrid . . ." I sighed, my eyes not open yet. "Wait . . . you baked sweet bread again?" I asked as I detected my favourite aroma of all . . . very close.

"Well, I cheated," she confessed. "I warmed up a portion of yesterday's loaf. But you're gonna have to work for a piece here . . ."

"Doing what?" I asked now opening my eyes . . . to find my wife holding a piece of the bread now . . . in her teeth as she held her head over me.

Without warning, I sprang up to grab her, attempting to roll her over and pin her as I kissed her hard, trying to snatch the bread fully from her with my mouth. She tried to snatch the piece right back out of my mouth through her own kiss as we laughed into each other, fighting hard for both the bread, and to pin each other . . . rolling back and forth, playfully struggling under the quilt in bed.

Managing to roll her back again, I felt her cease striving though as her arms relaxed around my head and back and she just drew me to her, both through her kiss, and through the rest of her.

She wanted quiet passion now, and I gave it to her . . .

— — — — —

"You . . ." Astrid simply said to me afterwards as we cradled each other in our arms under the covers.

"You, too . . ." I replied back.

"You know, I'm not sure if I want to move back to the village anymore," she sighed as she rested against me. "If we could figure out how to raise, or grow, or catch, or stockpile enough food here . . . I would love to spend more isolated, uninterrupted winters with you."

"We're not exactly defended here alone," I noted. "And if one of us gets sick or hurt . . . we could be in trouble."

"Think about it?" she openly asked me.

"Okay," I said, surprised she was serious, " . . . I will. And we'll keep talking about it . . . as much as you want."

I could refuse her nothing now . . . and Astrid knew it.

"Hate to tell you though," she noted looking and listening around us, " . . . but I don't hear any wind outside. So unfortunately, it might be a good enough day to go dragon fishing."

"Astrid," I now warned, " . . . it's getting too cold out there for that now. You can't go splashing around with your Nadder chasing fish."

"We're going through our fish supplies faster than we'd planned," she replied. "We have to keep fishing for as long as possible before the ice really sets in. Otherwise it could get pretty lean around here before winter's over. And you should go out for more wood, too."

"We've had some morning fun here," she noted. "Thank you _verrry_ much for that, by the way. Time for just a little work now, okay?"

"Okay," I conceded with a smile. "I hate it when I can't disagree with you about stuff like this."

"I know," she smiled. "It's just so hard . . . having to endure so much fun and so little work, isn't it?"

It was an almost guilty truth for us now.

"Let's just look forward to a fresh fish dinner," she proposed, " . . . a soothing bath together . . . then I'll teach you some more of what's called 'massage'. I'll even practice on you some."

"Sounds like a wonderful evening," I sighed.

"Let's get to enjoying that as quick as possible then," Astrid invited.

Soon we were dressed in our heavy winter wear, and I was about to go off to the woods in the first snow of the season now . . . walking, with my improved leg rig!

But I noticed Astrid hauling out a book and sitting at our table for a moment now.

"What are you doing?" I asked, just about to leave through the front door.

"Checking the copy of the Dragon Manual we were given as a marriage present," Astrid replied as she flipped through the pages, looking for something. "I told my mother and the villagers we might try re-writing it as something for us to do here, based on your discoveries with the dragons. But, I'm just looking to see if there's anything else on Nadders, as mine's very restless most of the time now, as we've both noticed. Go on," she encouraged, " . . . go get some more wood. I'll be leaving shortly with my Nadder to fish myself."

"Okay," I casually replied as I picked up an axe and turned to leave. "Be safe out there, and see you back here soon. I love you, Astrid."

"Love you, too, Hiccup," she turned and smiled at me as I went out the door.

It was a cold, but bright and sunny day outside. While our house was now a wonderful, warm haven . . . it was nice to get outside at times, too.

Life at our cove could not be better, I sighed to myself once again.

— — — — —

I walked in the woods with a spring in my step . . . literally! The leg rig was working well now . . . and it was _sooo_ much more comfortable, thanks to Astrid!

But I missed the now constant companionship of my wife and my dragon friend. The woods suddenly felt very lonely. So I resolved to find a tree . . . preferably near to the house . . . chop it down, and somehow drag it back to the house as quickly as I could . . . either whole, or in pieces.

I heard a roar and a beating of wings from back at the house. Astrid was leaving aboard her Nadder, but I couldn't see them. I began to miss the flights I used to share with Toothless. I knew he did, too. He lived for those.

It made me resolve anew to help him recover and fly again. It was time for me to really figure out a way to get that beam out of him! As soon as I got some wood back to the house, I would force myself to sit at my drawing board, and do just that . . . today!

But back to my task of getting wood. I wound up selecting a fairly thin tree that seemed almost dead and dry. Chopping it down with ease . . . heck Toothless could have just pushed it over . . . I still had to chop it into sections to drag it home.

The first time I returned home dragging a long log of the tree though, Toothless was there . . . but Astrid and her Nadder weren't.

I could see he was lonely, too now, with everyone else out of the house.

"Holding up okay, Toothless?" I asked.

He gave a short grunt and gentle moan, while looking at me with his wide eyes as I turned to leave again.

"I know you miss going outside, and especially flying," I empathized, pausing to lay a gloved hand on him. "I'll get to work on figuring out how to heal you later here, okay?"

He gave an accepting, satisfied grunt in reply. I went and got him an extra fish from our stores in appreciation. I could tell he appreciated it, and that it made him feel better . . . just as he once showed me it did.

When I returned home with the second and final section of the tree however, Astrid still wasn't home. Even Toothless began to grunt and look at me with concern now.

"Where is she, bud?" I asked him.

He looked at me and motioned his head towards the south.

"Wish I could take you and go check on her," I sighed.

Toothless sighed in agreement, too.

We were now interrupted by a squawk.

"Finally!" I sighed to Toothless. "Astrid's returning."

I turned to warmly greet my wife and help her with the fish she had returned with.

But my blood now ran cold . . .

Astrid wasn't on the Nadder as it landed in front of us.

"Where is she?" I asked the Nadder in shock. _"What have you done with her?"_

The Nadder just squawked again at me, seeming completely innocent and oblivious that her rider was missing. The rope was still around the Nadder's neck, but that was all.

For a moment I forgot most all of where I was, and what our life had been.

"Toothless!" I ordered, " . . . let's go!" as I turned instinctively for his saddle and tail rig.

Toothless struggled to answer my call as he attempted to stir himself, even to spread his wings some. But the effort to move even a little with the beam still in him caused him to roar out in pain.

That stopped me as I was picking up the saddle — forcing me to remember where I was now . . . and how things were.

"Oh Toothless, I'm sorry, bud . . . I'm so sorry!" I said almost crying at how loyally he was trying to help me find Astrid now.

"Shhhh," I had to assure him as I rushed over to lay a hand on him. "Stay still . . . stay, okay?"

He had such a sad look in his eyes, wanting to help me so much . . . but feeling he had let me, and Astrid, down.

"It's okay," I had to assure him as he slumped on the ground again in defeat. I briefly laid my arms around his large head. "You have not let us down, my friend. I promise. You are good. But you can still help me, Toothless . . . which way did they go, which way?" I now asked him.

He resolutely grunted and motioned his head again to the south.

"Thanks, buddy," I assured with tearful gratitude, " . . . you've made a real difference here. You're helping to save her . . . you are."

"_You . . ."_ I then said turning around to the Nadder though, with gritted teeth and a sudden surge of quiet rage at this idiotic beast for not only losing, but abandoning my wife . . . somewhere. Even Toothless now joined me as he narrowed his eyes at the Nadder, snarling at her, seeming to condemn the Nadder for violating some kind of sacred code among dragons . . . at least among his kind.

Being skittish by nature, the Nadder now sensed the growing hostility from both Toothless and myself and backed away from us.

I got control of myself however, realizing that we . . . that Astrid . . . didn't have time for this. I had to get on that Nadder and find Astrid . . . now!

"It's alright," I said as calmly as possible with open hands towards the Nadder, lying through my teeth as I tried to approach it and win its confidence again.

I just went into my 'Dragon Master' zone as I stretched out my hand towards the Nadder. Somehow, it began working. I was finally able to touch the Nadder, and then jump up on her neck. Even though I sincerely wanted to kill the beast at that moment, I was able to calmly say, "Find Astrid . . . take me to Astrid."

The Nadder took off with me into the air as I pulled on the neck rope, guiding us now towards the south in the air. I trusted Toothless' observation and sense of direction far more than I did this Nadder's.

I sooo wanted to make that Nadder pay for losing and abandoning Astrid as I flew on its back. But for the moment, I needed it to find her. I swore though, I would still kill it later.

I frantically looked around as we flew south along the coast now . . . searching for Astrid both in the water, and along the surf line at the base of the cliffs. I felt my desperation rising the longer I looked for her but didn't see her.

"Focus, Hiccup!" I said to myself, imagining it was Astrid saying it to me . . . as she sometimes had.

Then, I saw what looked like a seal, curled up on a tiny, rocky beach at the base of some cliffs . . . but that was no seal.

"Land! There!" I yelled to the Nadder as I yanked on its neck rope to the left. It banked and aimed for the tiny beach.

"ASTRID!" I yelled as the Nadder and I approached, but there was no response.

We landed. I leaped off the Nadder, rushing to Astrid. I turned her wet body over. Her eyes were closed and her face was an icy bluish-white. I thought I heard an almost imperceptibly slow exhale of breath.

Others might have given her up for dead . . . but I was taking her home. I was going to fight to bring her back, no matter what — because to me . . . at that point . . . life wasn't worth living otherwise. Even the thought of surviving the rest of the winter now without Astrid was just too painful.

I had no time to cry now though . . . no time to do anything, but get Astrid home.

Thankfully her Nadder bent down and nudged against both Astrid's body and I with concern. I just used that opportunity to heft Astrid over the Nadder's neck as I climbed back on the dragon myself.

I turned Astrid's cold, limp form around on the Nadder and finally gathered her into my arms. "Home!" I ordered the Nadder as I held onto the neck rope with one hand, while holding Astrid against me with the other arm. I worked to tuck one of Astrid's legs under the Nadder's neck rope to make sure I didn't lose her during the brief flight home.

The Nadder took off into the air with us onboard. I was conscious of every foot of distance passing beneath us as we traveled home.

"Come on!" I urged. "Home!" trying to get the trip over even faster.

Finally our green but also snowy cove came into view, as the Nadder turned and descended towards our front doorstep.

We landed with a thud at our still open front door. Toothless was looking on with concern as I dismounted, with Astrid's body almost falling out of my arms in the process. I gathered her again against me.

"I'll kill you later, you idiotic beast!" I angrily growled at the Nadder, who just gave a seemingly oblivious squawk.

"Inside, NOW!" I ordered it, remembering it would otherwise likely escape . . . although half of me now almost wished it good riddance! The thing wasn't getting any treats though — maybe not even its supper tonight.

I herded the Nadder inside ahead of me, slammed our front door closed with my leg rig, and carried Astrid over near our fireplace.

The village had dealt with what we called 'cold sleep' cases before. Sometimes people died . . . but sometimes they were brought back. I just had to remember how that was done!

I laid Astrid's body near our fire and cauldron for the moment. It was the warmest place in our house. It was also near Toothless' head. Despite the pain I knew he was feeling from turning his head to the right, Toothless was now watching my every move with Astrid with both his eyes.

"How to do this?" I wracked my brain. First, I knew I had to get her out of her cold, wet clothes. I practically tore some of them off of her, even jerking her around a little in my haste. She was so terribly pale all over . . . even slightly blue.

"Gotta get you warmer!" I said, now remembering the next step. "But how?"

I felt Toothless now exhale near Astrid. His breath was warm . . . warmer than the heat from the fireplace. Then I remembered the last time I had warmed her up when she was shivering in my arms . . . with Toothless' help!

"Toothless!" I said, laying down next to her. "Don't burn us!" . . . hoping he would remember.

Toothless looked at me, and then just began blowing gently towards Astrid. I was amazed! "Yes, Toothless!" I put a hand in front of Astrid as Toothless blew on her. "Not too hot," I cautioned him. "We got to do this carefully."

I moved Astrid's body closer to Toothless now, instead of the fire as Toothless now swept his head slowly back and forth, softly blowing along Astrid's entire body, taking a breath every once in a while.

I felt her body in various places, ensuring that she was being warmed evenly. I almost hesitated to feel against her heart now . . . her precious heart . . . as Toothless continued slowly sweeping his head and blowing . . . slowly sweeping and blowing.

Then I put my hand on the skin over her heart . . . I cried . . .

It was beating . . . slowly . . . but it was beating.

I put my cheek against her nose, and felt the softest breath come out of it now. She was still breathing as well. She was cold, but alive!

I now gave her a very gentle kiss on her lips . . . for love . . . and luck.

"You can't leave me now," I whispered almost desperately to her. "You can't! Fight, Astrid . . . fight!" I urged her.

I allowed myself to finally cry over her briefly. But I knew that wasn't what she needed right now.

"Good boy, Toothless," I now praised, looking at him. He was such a loyal, devoted friend . . . to both Astrid and I now, I tearfully admired.

But Toothless didn't take his eyes, or his mind, off his task . . . still sweeping his head and blowing, ever so gently over her. Even he seemed to sense what he was doing was vital to her now.

I finally had the presence of mind to strip out of my wet pants, taking my leg rig off and quickly drying it so it wouldn't rust.

Astrid was still unconscious, but her skin was now recovering something of a healthier tone. It was no longer so pale, or blue.

I laid back down beside her for a moment, taking her head into my arm and holding her partly against me.

But I realized she was still on our cold, hard, wooden floor, which had been laid down around Toothless, and the patch of cove sand where he had fallen. That wouldn't do for Astrid. I remembered that lying with a person under blankets also worked. But, I also now recalled that I needed two legs to carry her to bed.

I put my leg rig right back on again over my bare stump.

"Okay, Toothless," I said, now gently taking a still unconscious Astrid into my arms as I tried to get us both up off the floor. "You can stop now. I'm taking Astrid to bed, and will continue warming her myself. You need anything?"

Toothless just seemed to shake his head and straighten out his neck now so he could rest more comfortably.

"We owe you, bud," I said as I carried a still chilled, but now warmer, Astrid to bed.

Struggling some, I managed to lay Astrid down in our bed and tuck her inside, before turning to check on Toothless one more time.

"Toothless, you sure you don't want any fish or water?" I asked again, not caring if I did play favourites here between him and the Nadder, whom I was determined to ignore now for a while. Fortunately, the Nadder was now quiet . . . fortunate for the Nadder, that is. I think Toothless would have joined me in killing it at this point.

Toothless moaned a bit, the pain of moving his head and neck around obviously catching up with him, but he just now rested his head on the ground, choosing to keep one eye on me as I now turned to join Astrid in bed.

"I'm sorry I don't have any of your pain-relieving tea right now," I apologized to him. "Could you last a while?"

He gave a short roar, almost like a 'yeah', and then proceeded to close his eyes and doze.

"Thank you again, bud," I praised, pausing beside him to gently lay a hand on him. "Even laid up . . . you came through for us, Toothless! We gotta get you healed and flying again. _I don't trust Nadders anymore,_" I then whispered into one of his ears. "_Only you._"

He seemed to purr in agreement at hearing that, first glancing at me, and then narrowing his eyes and glancing back to an obliviously sleeping Nadder now.

_Thank Thor she's alive!_ I sighed to myself as I went to our bed now and took off my leg rig and other things and joined Astrid in bed, basically wrapping myself around her. She was breathing closer to normal now, and a touch of my hand against her heart sensed it to be beating stronger as well. Only time would tell when she would wake up.

I was emotionally drained though. I had come so close to losing her . . . so close. I wasn't even sure how well she would recover now.

"Astrid . . ." I had to say to her, even if she couldn't hear me, " . . . you're safe at home now . . . in my arms . . ." I couldn't avoid crying now. "I love you . . . so much . . ." I held her tightly as I cried . . . praying she would be okay . . . that she would fully return to me.

"Hicc . . . pp . . ." she suddenly mumbled, stirring slightly in my arms.

"Astrid . . . I'm here," I assured, surprised and gratified at hearing her. "You're home now, safe with me . . . totally safe, and warm."

"Warm . . ." she mumbled, almost sighing.

Ohh, she was such a precious, beautiful sight to me now!

I suddenly remembered another step I'd seen in re-warming 'cold sleepers' . . . giving them hot tea.

"Astrid," I gently asked, " . . . you ready for some tea? Would you like something warm inside you?"

"Tea . . ." she seemed to basically agree, still groggy or half asleep.

"I'm going to get out of bed and get it for you," I said. "I'll be right back though, okay?"

"O . . . kay . . ." she mumbled again, her eyes still closed. Even her mumbling the simplest words was such a wonderful miracle to me now.

I gave her a gentle, but very appreciative hug and kiss on her cheek, before rising out of bed and carefully keeping her covered. I just put the leg rig on my bare stump again, only doing up one strap, and walked over to our fireplace. I was so grateful for what Astrid had done with my leg rig again as I appreciated the simple ability to walk without limping now.

I kind of knew where things were in Astrid's cooking area, but now I wished I'd paid more attention. Fortunately I found a partial pot of leftover tea, and just put that over the fire for a moment until it was hot again. I poured out some tea into a cup . . . and tried to carefully carry it back to bed . . . which, even with my improved leg rig, wasn't easy.

"Astrid," I gently said, now not knowing where to put the cup around our bed, other than to hold it, " . . . here's your tea. But . . . little help here? . . . Somehow?" I kind of pleaded.

"Hiccup . . ." she whispered a little more clearly, now opening her eyes while resting her head on a pillow. "I made it . . ."

"Yes, you're home now, my Astrid," I confirmed . . . still not knowing where to set the cup I had down. I resolved then and there to make a table to go next to the bed . . . actually one on each side, for each of us. For now, I spotted a chair nearby and quickly went and hauled that over next to the bed. I was _not_ going to be kept apart from Astrid . . . by a teacup!

She just quietly watched me with half-open eyes as I took off my leg rig again and climbed back into bed with her.

"Hey there . . ." was the first thing I could figure to say to her, gently taking her into my arms.

Astrid just smiled weakly with relief, and gladly snuggled against my warm embrace.

"Needles okay?" she softly asked.

"What's Needles?" I asked.

"Nadder . . ." she whispered, ". . . named her . . . while outside . . ."

"Yeah," I now sighed with irritation. "That _thing_ is here."

"My fault . . ." Astrid responded, " . . . don't blame her . . ."

"Astrid, how?" I asked. "No . . . don't answer now, just rest. You've been through 'cold sleep' . . . I found you . . . almost dead out there," I now said with a tear in my eye.

"Saved me . . . again . . ." Astrid mumbled with contentment as she now faded back to sleep against me. I wasn't going to disturb her . . . except I knew she should really have some of that tea.

"Astrid, could you sit up for me a bit?" I said, gently waking her again while also trying to reach for the cup in the chair. "You need some tea inside to warm you, okay?"

I managed to convince her to drink some tea, even holding up her head and shoulders myself, before allowing her to lie down again and fade back to sleep.

It seemed clear though that I owed the Nadder an apology. But I was in no mood to give it now.

I settled Astrid back to comfortably resting in bed; and now assured that she was warm enough for the moment, I got up again to feed all the rest of us dinner. I had been looking forward to a fresh fish dinner with Astrid . . . but after what I'd been through here, I just wasn't hungry. Astrid hadn't been able to catch any fresh fish today anyway. I fed both Toothless and Needles their fish though from our stores. Just giving the Nadder her dinner was the closest thing I could come to an apology with her at the moment, however. I then quickly chewed on a piece of Astrid's sweet bread with some water myself, stoked our fire for the night, and returned to bed. I was exhausted now.

But I was so grateful that I had Astrid with me still. That bed would have looked so horribly empty without her in it.

I don't know what I would have done had Astrid not returned to me today. Part of me drew reassurance though. Somehow, I knew had that happened, Toothless would have helped me find a reason to go on living, and would have remained with me . . . right with me . . . every step of the way.

I was so grateful for that dragon . . . for my friend. "I will heal you," I quietly vowed to him.

I turned my attention back to Astrid now as I settled in next to her. She was warm and peaceful as she slept . . . a beautiful, even overwhelming, sight.

"Almost lost you, today," I softly cried, holding her close once more.

Never, ever did I want something like that to happen again, I resolved. Astrid was far too precious to me.

"My Astrid . . ." I tearfully sighed as I began falling asleep holding her as I could hear winter winds begin to howl around us again. Icy death was outside . . . warm life, and love, were inside. I treasured my wife's presence closely in my arms as I held her against me.

"I love you, my Astrid . . ." I whispered as sleep overtook me.


	8. Chapter 8

I woke to feel a warm Astrid nestled beside me . . . but she was too warm now . . . and she was calling my name.

"Hiccup . . . Hiccup . . . wake up," she said weakly.

"Sorry," I sleepily yawned. I began to remember what had happened, and now began reaching to embrace Astrid, while she strangely resisted a little.

"No, Hiccup," she said to my surprise. "I think I'm sick now . . . with a fever. You need to stay back from me. I don't want you catching what I've got here."

I let her roll back a little onto her own pillow as she coughed, and I felt her forehead. She was hot now.

"Astrid," I said with concern, " . . . tell me what to do here. But one thing first . . . if I was the one who was sick . . . could you honestly stay away from me?"

Astrid looked at me with half-closed eyes, and then weakly shook her head. "No," she gently smiled, " . . . I couldn't."

She accepted me now as I took her back into my arms and held her. I could hear her sigh, even cry a little at the comforting affection I was giving her.

I'd heard other villagers swearing that this herb or that plant was the best medicine. While I would give Astrid any tea or food she asked me to, my medicine was love . . . and I was going to make sure she got lots of that now.

"I'm going to help you get better, Astrid," I said as I held her.

"I know you will," she softly replied.

"What do you want first?" I asked.

"I need to be kept drinking," she said, remembering what her mother and the Elder had taught her. "Tea . . . or water. Just something."

"Well, I'll get some tea started," I suggested. "How about a little bread, too? You didn't have any dinner yesterday."

Astrid now looked uncertain and uncomfortable at the mention of food. "You ever been around someone really sick?" she asked.

"My dad's been sick from too much mead at times," I recalled.

"This'll be kind of like that," Astrid seemed to be warning me.

"It'll be alright," I just assured, giving her a kiss on the forehead. "Let's try the bread, too, anyway," I decided, now pretty much knowing what the consequences might be.

"Hiccup . . ." she said, causing me to pause as I now began getting up.

"What is it?" I said warmly to her as I caressed her fevered face.

She just looked at me, like I was wowing her . . . the way she'd been wowing me for a while now.

"I gotcha," I assured as I held her again and gently rocked her closely for a moment. She softly coughed and shivered a little against me.

"Let's get you fed though," I offered, beginning to get up again.

"I don't know," she sighed, seemingly almost a little scared at the prospect of eating.

"Astrid . . . this time, I do," I gently smiled. "Be right back. By the way, where are the teas, and how do I make Toothless' pain tea?"

"The teas are in the large urns . . . white for Toothless' tea and brown for ours," Astrid softly directed. "For Toothless, add a bowl of honey malt from the third small barrel left of the fireplace."

"Mead?" I asked. "I didn't know we had any of that."

"You're not getting any, okay?" she warned. "It's for the dragon. We have a very limited supply."

"Not that I've had much of a taste for the stuff," I noted, " . . . but Astrid, you've been holding out on me."

"One of my brothers has a real fondness for mead," she whispered firmly. "The rest of us have had to deal with it, and him . . . and clean up after him . . . a lot. I don't want that in our marriage."

"Astrid, I can understand that," I empathized. "But I'm not like that, okay? I'd never do that to you. I swear. But I'm going to have to have a mug once in a while with the other villagers . . . even if I don't much care to."

"That's another reason why I wouldn't mind remaining out here," she replied. "My brother didn't touch mead until his friends started getting him drunk on challenges . . . then he couldn't stop. He still hasn't. It's been breaking his wife's heart. They were once so much in love," she noted, tearing up. "I'm not going to risk losing you like that."

"Astrid, I understand," I said. "I won't do that to you, ever. Even swear it . . . on your heart."

Astrid smiled as I placed my hand over her heart.

"You're way too important to me," I assured. "I will just let you be in charge of any mead drinking I do . . . even with our friends. Let me have a little when we need to, but I will always, always go with your wishes on this, okay?"

"I'm sorry I'm so hard core on this," Astrid sighed.

"Love you," I just responded giving her another quick hug. "Let me get all of us breakfast here."

Quickly putting my new tan indoor tunic, as well as my sock and leg rig on, I ambled over to the fireplace. I noticed Toothless stirring.

"How you doing, bud?" I said as I remembered my promise to really start work towards relieving him of that beam. It had been close to three weeks now since his injury, and I was aware that beam couldn't stay in him forever.

Toothless just grunted quietly, while keeping his now customary eye on what I was doing.

"How to get it out of you?" I began puzzling while waiting for the water to boil over the fire to brew tea for Astrid, as well as pain-relieving tea for Toothless. I remembered now though that I had to get fish for the dragons' breakfasts, as well as warm bread for Astrid and myself, and more. I was suddenly appreciating all that Astrid had been doing for our household every morning, without my being aware of it much at all.

"Morning, Nadder . . . I mean Needles," I said as I gave her a breakfast of semi-frozen fish. I was feeling better about her, but still had difficulty forgiving her, let alone apologizing.

Finally, the teas were ready. I put Toothless' pain-relieving tea into a bucket, adding a bowl of mead, and he dutifully opened his mouth to receive it, tipping his head back some to keep from spilling it as he drank it.

"You're so good," I praised, sighing almost with regret. My answer for him still wasn't coming to me yet. With everything else I had to do right now, I couldn't concentrate on finding an answer, or even just rolling my pencil across my drawing board, which helped answers come to me sometimes.

"Here you go, Astrid," I said, now bringing her a cup of tea and a piece of bread.

Astrid turned away at even the sight of the bread. "Hiccup," she warned, " . . . I need a bowl . . . now."

I fetched one and barely got it to her in time. I could only feel compassion for her as she heaved into the bowl I gave her. I just soothingly rubbed her back through it all, while she tried to gasp for breath in between. When she had finished, she fell back onto her pillow, breathing hard.

"Be right back," I assured again, taking the bowl out of her way and gently wiping her mouth with a cloth before dumping the bowl outside. I marveled though. Before I married Astrid, I just don't think I could have done this, without throwing up myself. This was what love was, I realized however . . . taking care of someone, no matter what. I smiled to myself as I returned to Astrid.

"I hate being sick," she said, still catching her breath as I sat down on the bed next to her.

"I know," I gently said as I wiped a soothing, cool cloth on her forehead. " But Astrid . . . would you do it for me?"

That made Astrid tear up with a smile as I now cradled her in my arms. "Give me more tea . . . and more bread," she now said.

"Now that's my wife," I smiled as I kissed her forehead.

Sure enough, she soon threw that up, too.

"More tea, and bread," she softly said, challenging herself again when I returned. "Hiccup," she added as I was turning back to our cooking area to get what she'd asked for, " . . . I know I must be hell to deal with right now. Why not treat yourself to a little mead to make it easier?"

"Nope, I'm good," I declined, smiling.

Now she sat up and hugged me.

— — — — —

Finally, Astrid was able to keep the third round of tea and bread down. As she now rested from the 'work' of being sick . . . I went over to my drawing board, and began rolling flicking my pencil up and down the drawing board . . . up and down . . . searching for a solution for Toothless.

I turned and looked at him sleeping with that beam still in him. I mentally went through what would happen if I just took it out of him . . . blood would rush in to fill the suddenly empty cavity removing it would open up in him. I couldn't control or stop it all . . . and he would die. Removing it would kill him . . . but so would not removing it before long. I began to wonder again if it would be more merciful to kill him now. But Toothless had chosen life with me, and Astrid, for as long as that would be.

I sat at my drawing board, sketching dozens of beams in dozens of versions of Toothless' wounded shoulder . . . cross-sections, diagrams, beam in, beam out. No answer . . . nothing . . . was coming to me.

Deciding to take a break, I returned to bed to take a nap beside Astrid for a while. She was sleeping peacefully, thank goodness. I sat on the edge of my side of our bed as I took off my leg rig first, and then the one sock I needed now . . .

I put my sock back on for a moment, looking at it . . . and then slipped it off again. When my right foot was in the sock, it expanded to be as large as my foot. When my foot was out of the sock, it shrank. I pulled the sock on and off a couple more times, and then looked at Toothless.

"A plug," I said to myself, " . . . to stop the blood. But how do I keep a plug the same size as the beam to start with . . . and then shrink it gradually to help the wound close and fill up the space around it?"

I put my leg rig back on, and walked around Toothless back to my workshop area, holding the sock. "Make the sock as big as the beam," I said, stretching it out, as I put it over my foot again, " . . . and then shrink it," I continued, taking the sock off and scrunching it together.

I glanced at the bellows to my forge. It expanded and contracted . . . with air . . . with air!

"Astrid, I've got it!" I yelled, startling everyone, dragon and human, in our house.

"Wh-What is it?" she sleepily said as I rushed over to her.

"Astrid, I know how to save Toothless . . . to heal him!" I said excitedly to her. "You were right about me!" I smiled as I took her into my arms. "We're gonna do it!"

"How?" she asked, trying to both still wake up, and mentally catch up with me and my enthusiasm.

"We need a skin, sewn closed, so it can hold air . . . maybe a seal skin," I said. "Then we attach it to the beam and draw it into the wound as we pull the beam out. Then we slowly have less and less air in the skin to allow the wound to close without blood filling it and leaking out. Finally, we either pull the skin out or allow the body to absorb it, and he's healed!"

"But Astrid," I continued. "I can't do this alone. You have to get better, fast here."

"I'm trying," she sighed, giving me an understanding look. "Just start doing what you can to prepare . . . and keep feeding me tea or water, and bread. I'm sorry you have to be doing all this by yourself right now."

"It's okay," I assured. "It's not your fault."

"Yes, it is," she replied, surprising me.

"Why?" I asked, now moving fully onto the bed and taking her into my arms, ready to really listen to her.

"The Dragon Manual had this little note in it about Nadders tending to diminish in numbers in winters," Astrid replied. "Some apparently go away. No one knows where. That's why Needles has been getting restless here . . . she's been wanting to answer the call of nature. After reading that yesterday, and her getting really restless, knowing we would be going outside, I thought I could get a few more fish runs out of her, before maybe letting her go."

"That was my mistake," she continued. "Once I had her in the air, she was uncontrollable . . . wanting to take off to the south. I struggled to get her under control, to make even one fish run with her. I fell off her as we struggled. Fortunately, I landed in the water not too far from shore. That freezing water was agony to be in. But I knew I had to make it to shore and get out of that water before I blacked out from cold sleep. I don't know how Needles decided to go back home to you after that, but obviously she did. Her doing that saved my life . . . because you would have never been able to get to me in time otherwise. You would have found me hours later if you had to walk along the cliffs looking for me . . . and I'd have been dead."

"I am so sorry, Hiccup," Astrid now tearfully apologized, " . . . for taking such a stupid risk like that . . . for almost costing you a lifetime of happiness here."

"It's alright," I said, a little stunned, as I held her. "I came to hate that Nadder for losing you . . . before you told me it was your fault after I revived you yesterday."

"You have a right to be angry at me . . . but not at Needles," she added.

"Well, you know I could never be really angry at you . . ." I sighed.

"I was kind of hoping for that," she replied with a slightly guilty smile.

"I was just hoping the gods would still honor your prayer about not letting us be separated by death, even though the battle's over," I said with sad relief. "I'll do anything . . . nurse you back to health, over and over . . . toss out sick bowls . . . never touch mead again. I just never want to lose you, Astrid," I finished, unable to keep from crying a little.

"You won't," Astrid promised, holding me back, and knowing how much I needed to hear that from her. "You tell me when to cool it and keep from doing something stupid, okay?"

"Okay," I quietly agreed as I hugged her again.

"We need to let her go though," Astrid said. "Even though it means we lose our last link with the village, and fishing becomes all but impossible. At least we'll be able to stretch the fish we have longer without her."

Somehow sensing we were talking about her and the outside, Needles was stirring and beginning to get restless again anyway.

"Help me up," Astrid requested. "I want to say goodbye to her, and let her go myself."

"Astrid . . ." I cautioned, more worried about her than the Nadder.

Astrid just looked at me.

"Alright," I conceded. "Just do something I ask for . . . when I ask for it like this sometime, okay?"

"I will . . . promise," Astrid replied, giving me a kiss on my cheek.

We both got out of bed and I helped Astrid dress in a cloak and walk unsteadily over to the Nadder. She soothed her dragon as I undid the rope still around its neck.

"Thank you for saving me, Needles," Astrid said to an increasingly agitated Nadder as she briefly embraced her.

That put an uncomfortable lump in my throat. I knew what I had to say . . . for my own sake, if no one else's.

"Needles," I said returning to my wife's side, " . . . I'm sorry I got so angry at you yesterday. I'm sorry I honestly wanted to kill you for losing and abandoning my Astrid at first. You didn't have to let me know you lost her . . . but you did. I am very grateful that you turned around on your own and came back to let me know . . . and that you took me to find her, and bring her back."

I was somewhat afraid that Astrid was going to be upset at part of my apology, but she just held an arm around me and looked at me with understanding as we now turned together and walked ahead of the Nadder towards the front door.

"Wait," Astrid now said as we paused at the door. ""Needles, you'll always be my dragon . . . my friend. But we're letting you go now, okay? You're free. Go where you like . . . but don't forget me. Maybe come back sometime, at least to see me again."

As we opened the front door of our home for Needles, there was a surprising period of calm, even a cold sunshine outside now. Needles vaulted out through our door and off into the clear air now. Seeming to dance among the scattered clouds for a moment, Needles finally turned and headed south, presumably to warmer climes.

I turned and held my wife tightly. "You've still got us," I said.

Astrid kissed me. "Yes I do," she replied. "Just don't fly away from me."

"I swear I never will," I replied, as I kissed her myself now.

"I wish I could have gone fishing with her one last time in this sunshine," Astrid now noted wistfully as she looked out upon our cove.

Just then, we heard something.

Astrid gently cried for joy, leaning against me, as we saw Needles return to us . . . with a mouthful of fresh fish.

"She knows it's too cold for you to fly with her as she fishes now," I said warmly to Astrid, as Needles now landed and dropped the fish at our doorstep in front of us, before giving us a squawk and a nudge, and then flying away. I wondered if Needles might return again . . . but as the moments passed, she didn't.

"I think she'll keep an eye on us," I assured my wife, as I held an arm around her.

"But it's back to bed for you now," I said to my wife. "I will take care of preserving these fish. And, if you like you can try a bit of fresh roasted fish with me for dinner."

"You and Toothless need me to," she joked as we turned back into the house, " . . . so I will."

Now I just needed to find a dead seal somewhere.

— — — — —

Fortunately, Astrid was able to enjoy part of a fresh-roasted fish with me . . . and keep it down.

She went to sleep afterwards as I began furiously sketching drawings of how I'd attach a seal skin to the beam, inflate it with the bellows, and use it to gradually heal Toothless' wound.

I smiled. I had my plan now.

The next day, after I fed Toothless and Astrid their breakfasts, I put on my winter gear.

"Where are you going?" Astrid asked.

"Out to find a seal to make an air bladder from to get the beam out of Toothless," I responded. "I hope I can just find a freshly dead one. It'd be a shame to have to kill one just to save another life."

"I'm going with you," she said.

"Not today, Astrid," I responded. "You were really sick yesterday."

"Hiccup," she warned insistently.

"Astrid," I cautioned right back, looking at her across the bed as I was getting dressed.

We almost stared each other down for a moment. I could feel love beginning to soften both of us though.

"Compromise?" she suggested. "You go out the first trip, and I'll see how I do around the house here. If I feel good enough, and you don't find anything the first time . . . we go out together this afternoon."

"Deal," I accepted. "That's pushing yourself . . . but deal."

Astrid got out of bed in her own tan tunic and came around to my side.

"What are you doing?" I asked as I watched her.

"Helping my husband get ready to go outside," she said with a smile. "I've been falling down on the job as your housewife for the last day and a half."

"As I've told you . . . you are not just my housewife!" I smiled as she knelt down to put on my sock and boot for me.

"Today, I want to be," she said with gratitude.

I was moved as she now attached my leg rig, adjusting it just so as she tightened the straps.

"You wanna come with me here?" I could no longer resist asking.

"Dress me!" she invited as she slowly stood up again.

I now sat her down on the side of the bed as I went and got fresh winter wear for her, while she smiled and watched my every move.

"Sorry I kind of tore apart your other winter clothes," I apologized as I helped her put on a couple layers of tunics as well as thick leggings.

"I can repair them," she said, glancing over at the pile of still damp clothes I had freed her from the other day, but had yet to do anything with.

"There," I said, putting a final cloak over her as she put fresh gloves on.

"One more thing," she said, still sitting on the bed. "Come here."

She touched her forehead to mine. I smiled, knowing what she was doing.

"Gods, I don't know where to start," she said as we closed our eyes together, " . . . except to say thank you for saving this reckless woman's life."

Astrid now moved to hug me tightly as the full impact of how close she had come struck her.

"Maybe I need to listen more to the husband you've given me," she continued.

"Or maybe we just need to be grateful for your protection over us," I chimed in. I could almost hear Astrid smile as we paused.

"We need a seal skin now," my wife added, " . . . to save the life of our dear friend and companion. Guide us . . . help us to find one. It'd be nice if the seal was no longer needing it at the time, either . . . but it wasn't full of holes yet."

"Astrid!" I cautioned with my eyes still closed.

"It's the way I talk to them, okay?" she excused. "It's not like they've punished me with lightning . . . so far!"

"Also . . . thank you for our love," Astrid concluded, " . . . and for keeping us alive, together. And thank you for this husband of mine. He has treated me far better than I deserve at times, and I even have to confess he is almost too agreeable towards me. Help me to give to him, as much as he is giving to me. So let it be."

"Not so fast," I countered. "Gods . . . I believe you have lost one of your angels down here . . . even one of your valkyries. She is right here beside me . . . but sorry, I'm not letting her go now. So just let her stay with me, and brighten and warm my life more than the Sun itself. I thank you for the gift of this woman . . . my wife, and I promise, I swear on her heart . . . that I will take the best care of her you allow me to . . . for the rest of her earthly life . . . and up where you are, too. So let it be."

Astrid was just speechless . . . tearfully speechless, when I opened my eyes to look at her again. She just slowly stood up in front of me, and held me . . . for the longest time.

We eventually came back down to Earth though, just holding each other in our heavy winter garb.

"Oh, man!" she said, shaking herself back to reality. "I like doing that together. It both feels good doing it with you, and it worked . . . through the battle anyway."

"Me, too," I agreed. "But okay, talker with the gods . . . find us a seal skin," I invited with a smile as I helped her stand up and we walked to the door.

"Hey, you talked with them, too," she noted.

"But I don't think they listen to my demands quite like they do yours," I smiled.

"We'll be back soon, Toothless," I assured, turning to him as we passed him. "And you'll be healing real soon here. You want another fish as we go?"

"Hiccup!" Astrid objected. "You're making him fat with extra fish like this!"

"Okay," I said turning back to him. "Sorry pal . . . she says you can't have one," pointing a thumb towards her.

"Oh, right! Make me the bad guy!" Astrid said derisively . . . as she now went to the hatchway to our frozen stores and reached for a fish.

"Gotcha what you wanted, didn't I?" I whispered conspiratorially to him.

Even Toothless seemed to quietly chuckle, before we both quickly assumed an air of innocence, looking upward, as Astrid returned with a fish.

"You do seem to be getting better," I covered.

"You're just lucky I didn't bring back an eel and sling it around your neck!" she chided back. "Then he would have reviled you no matter what you made me do!"

"Hey!" I objected. "What happened to 'thank you for my perfect husband' you prayed about a minute ago?"

"I never prayed you were perfect!" she shot back.

"Love you," I responded with a smile.

"Sorry," she apologized with a sigh.

"You're a warrior," I said. "You're just naturally combative."

I just barely dodged getting slapped with a half-frozen fish while Toothless sighed and looked away. I then tackled my wife with an embrace.

"Truce," I said, " . . . for real this time."

"Truce," my wife accepted. "But are you gonna give him that fish?"

"I can't believe you almost slapped me with this," I said picking the fish up off the floor and finally handing it to a relieved Toothless, who probably couldn't believe he was actually getting it now.

"Like you said," she smiled, " . . . I'm just naturally combative."

"Let's find a seal pelt," I sighed, almost laughing myself as I opened our front door. "Guide us, oh anointed one."

"It is . . ." she said, briefly closing her eyes, " . . . that way. Let's go along the north side of the cove out to the ocean. We haven't walked that way before."

"See you later, buddy," I said to Toothless as I closed the door behind us. "We'll be back."

"Just don't overdo it here," I cautioned Astrid as we began walking.

"I know, I know . . . I was violently sick yesterday," she sighed, seeming slightly irritated. "My mom used to get me up and walking as soon as possible after I started getting better. She said there was nothing like a walk in the outdoor air to help finish healing us."

I looked back at our house as we walked, having never seen it from this angle before. It was framed among the trees around it, at the edge of the beach. It looked wonderful.

"You know," I said, " . . . I honestly wouldn't mind if we never left here, either."

"Really?" Astrid queried.

"Really," I said.

"Might be a quiet life here," she cautioned. "You'd probably never get to be chief of the village."

"And I want that, why?" I asked, skeptically.

"Well, maybe I want that for you . . . more than you do," she admitted. "I've always felt I'd be married to a village chief someday. I'm just way too opinionated to be the wife of anyone less than that . . . in the . . . community."

She hesitated and looked nervously at me. I think she was afraid that she might have insulted me . . . which she kinda did!

I just looked forward and we walked quietly along the edge of the cove towards the ocean.

"Sorry," she finally said.

"Let's just find a seal," I tersely responded, before remembering, " . . . Oh darn."

"What?" she asked.

"You didn't bring a weapon, did you?" I queried.

"Nope, you dressed me," she replied. "We'll just be finding a dead one now for sure."

We walked around the north entrance of the cove and onto an ocean beach beside some bluffs.

"Would you forgive me for the 'village chief' remark?" she asked.

"Aside from making me feel remarkably inadequate," I couldn't resist commenting, " . . . sure, why not."

"What makes you think you couldn't be one, though?" she gently asked.

"Me . . . a big, axe-wielding, authoritative chief of the village?" I said. "You sure you're not still feverish here?"

"I'm sure about you," she said, almost seeming afraid to speak her mind to me. "You're good at crazy ideas."

I now stopped and looked down, smiling. Then I looked at her.

"And so are you," I said as I took her into my arms and kissed her, right on the lips, not caring how sick she might be.

We embraced for a moment.

"I'm sorry, too," I apologized as I held her.

"I'm not," Astrid now said.

I pulled back, looking at her in surprise, almost irritation again. But Astrid wasn't looking at me though. She was looking behind me.

I turned around.

A dead female harp seal was just a few yards down the beach beyond us.


	9. Chapter 9

Between us, Astrid and I had that seal skinned, and its hide tanned and cured to withstand being inside Toothless within just a couple of days. The seal's meat was fortunately still good, too, and we shared fresh seal steaks with Toothless, while also preserving some for later. With his being a dragon though, I was always amazed Toothless preferred his food raw . . . when he could so easily roast it to not just medium or well done . . . but to a crisp! He wouldn't even try a piece of my medium rare steak when I offered it to him however.

"Okay," Astrid said after I finished sewing the hide and sealing the seam with pine tar one evening, " . . . so what next?"

"We have to fill him up with pain relieving tea," I guessed. "'Cause otherwise, this is really gonna hurt."

"Nope," she said. "We get him drunk . . . really stinking drunk!"

"That's what you've been saving the mead for, wasn't it?" I guessed.

"Mostly," she said with a smile.

"Well, you want to get to it?" I asked. "We're ready."

"Tomorrow," she countered. "It will take a while to get him drunk, and I don't want to work on him through the night after that. So, how about bath time?"

"Bath time?" I responded.

"Yeah," she said. "I want a talk."

"That's usually not all you want when we take a bath now," I cautioned with a knowing smile.

"You enjoy it, too," Astrid smiled herself as she moved towards me . . .

— — — — —

"Ohhhh yeahhh . . ." Astrid sighed as she truly relaxed in the tub against me. "You good here?"

"Right with 'ya," I sighed myself, burying my nose in the freshly washed hair on her head again as I held my arms loosely around her.

"You know, I'm glad you didn't catch what I had," she noted. "One of us having that brief fever was bad enough."

"I'm glad you didn't have what you did for long," I replied.

"Could I ask you a question?" she posed.

"Here it comes," I warned, " . . . 'The Talk'."

"All I want from you is an honest opinion," she replied. "Am I too hard on you?"

"Around you, that can be a dangerous question," I smiled with care.

"I'm sorry, Hiccup," Astrid apologized, now looking at me.

"It's alright," I assured her. "You're just you . . . and I love you, and all that you are."

"So you're putting up with me?" she asked.

"Well, one minute, I'm hearing you thank the gods for my wonderful self," I noted. "And the next, I'm dodging a semi-frozen fish. I've just learned to be ready for anything."

"Oh gods, I'm terrible towards you, aren't I?" Astrid sighed, giving me a distressed look.

"It's better than you used to be towards me originally," I observed optimistically. "At least I'm not getting bruises anymore . . . much."

"Okay, we're switching places here," she decided, getting up in the tub.

"Why?" I asked, now confused, as she stepped around me while I scrunched forward.

"Because, I need to be a loving companion you can really trust . . . and relax around," she answered, now sitting down behind me, and drawing me back against her. "I should be relaxing you here."

"Okay, this is a weird position," I noted, even more uncertainly now.

"This is what I mean," she sighed. "You're on edge . . . your shoulders here are as tight as a drum," she said now running her wet hands along my shoulders. "I'll even bet your teeth are clenched a little."

I immediately unclenched my teeth . . . although they just seemed to naturally come back together again on their own inside my mouth.

"My mother warned me about this in the last days she saw me with you before everyone left," she noted.

"She did?" I wondered.

"Yeah," Astrid sighed as she began rubbing my shoulders, " . . . she said I was lucky to be married to you, because no one else would put up with so many ups and downs from me the way you already were. I said, 'Mom, I love him . . . I am nothing but good to him.' She just politely disagreed with me, saying I was still too intense . . . saying that 'the war was over' now. I didn't get what she meant by that . . . until I found myself slapping you with that fish the other day. I couldn't believe I was actually doing that!"

"I just assumed that it was in fun," I observed, beginning to enjoy her rubs, " . . . heavy duty fun. That you were being _really_ playful."

"I was," she replied sadly, " . . . but I also wasn't. I then went onto make a bad remark that you shouldn't be anything less than a village chief. I couldn't trust myself around you after that while we were both dragging that seal back home."

"So _that's_ why you were so quiet," I realized. "I thought I'd done something else."

"No, Hiccup! It was me!" she now said, almost crying. "I don't know what's wrong with me . . . why I do these things to you! Why I'm so horrible to you!"

"Astrid . . . we're switching back here," I said, stopping her and now rising in the tub, balancing my left knee and both my hands on its rim as I now moved behind her again.

"Why are we doing this?" she asked as she now scrunched forward and I resettled in behind her again.

"Because," I said, giving her a close embrace from behind, and a kiss on the side of her head, " . . . you're the one who needs to relax here more than I do. How about turning sideways, so we can really lie close in the tub here, and talk?"

"Okay," she said finally, resettling herself against me across my lap with her knees up and a smile on her face, as she draped her warm, wet arms around my shoulders. "Here I am."

"Good," I said, taking charge of the situation for practically the first time like I was now.

As she looked expectantly, even uncertainly at me, I just decided to kiss her, drawing her to me powerfully, even turning her around me against the edge of the tub, as we both breathed in hard through our noses.

"Wow!" Astrid remarked after the kiss, still in my arms, " . . . wow . . ."

This suddenly felt like a date to me . . . but I had been married to this girl for almost a month now. That stopped me.

I could have come up with some manly 'Viking' act here . . . swept Astrid off her feet, even though I had no real hope of carrying her anywhere. Rescuing her just tended to bring out a superhuman strength in me when it was needed. The rest of the time . . . I was just Hiccup.

So instead, I spoke from my heart.

"I don't know what to do, Astrid," I simply said. "Except to say . . . that how you treat me is something I leave up to you. I know better than to try and change it myself, or change you. I don't know your heart fully, but I'm learning. You and your heart are driven, and kind of untamed . . . perhaps even more so than the fiercest dragon. Toothless and I had to learn what we were each capable of, and what our limits were. Through that, we came to know and respect each other. Maybe you and I are still doing that . . . I don't know."

"Hiccup . . . are you giving up on me?" Astrid asked, almost seeming frightened.

"No," I said. "My vows to you are for life. I choose them to be. I meant what I promised. I will always be with you . . . unless you turn me out. You can do that under our laws if you want. But that's not what you've said you wanted, I know that. I just, well . . . wanted to allow you that option . . . in case you feel like a mistake was made . . . somewhere along the line . . ." Now I felt like I was digging myself into a proverbial hole.

"Hiccup . . ." she now said, seeming halfway between being distressed and irritated. "Okay, cool it, Astrid," she coached herself, trying to regain control.

I felt I had just avoided being really punched for something here.

"Sorry . . ." I apologized.

"This isn't quite the conversation I expected to be having here," she remarked, looking downwards and seeming uncomfortable now.

I tried to get up to basically get out of the tub and give her, and maybe me, some space for a while. This was quickly turning into an uncomfortable disaster . . . something, being me, I was all too familiar with.

Astrid resolutely clamped her arms around my shoulders however, holding onto me and preventing me from getting up as she still looked away, gathering her thoughts.

"Okay then," I said, sitting down again with her basically still in my lap anyway, " . . . what's the conversation you want to have?" I asked, trying to focus on her. "I'm listening . . ."

"Hiccup . . . I want to be good to you," Astrid said, leaning her forehead against the side of my head.

That surprised me . . . and melted me towards her.

"You are, Astrid," I found myself gently replying, giving her forehead a long kiss.

Her eyes looked up at mine sadly, longingly. "Really?" she asked.

"Really . . . you are," I said, giving her a gentle kiss now on her lips, rediscovering my ability to focus just on her, on us, again . . . and forget myself.

"Even with the fish?" she asked.

"Especially with the fish," I assured.

She finally laughed. I joined her, laughing, too.

"Is this the way you train dragons?" she asked, bringing her forehead back against mine, " . . . win their confidence?"

"They don't talk," I said, reassuringly cradling her with my whole body now. "All I do is to meet them where they're at. That's all I can do with you, too, Astrid. What they do with it . . . with me . . . is their choice. It's your choice, too . . . every day. You can throw fish _at_ me, or you can cook fish _for_ me. You can mend my leg rig or clothes . . . you can kiss me . . . you can make love with me. It's all your choice, Astrid."

"What about your choice, Hiccup?" she asked.

"This is my choice," I replied. "Right now . . . the way I'm holding you, talking with you . . . loving you."

Astrid moved closer to gently kiss me . . . crying as she did, and cradling my head with her wet hands.

"Hiccup . . . why are you so good to me? So patient, loving, everything?" she sighed with a distressed look again.

"Because I choose to be," I assured. "Toothless taught me that kindness and dedication, even love . . . they're all choices. You taught me that, too."

"When?" she asked.

"When you asked me what I was going to do about helping Toothless that one day my father took him away on the ships," I said. "I couldn't see how to do anything. But you helped me see that I still had a choice . . . to do nothing . . . or something crazy. You helped me make that choice, Astrid . . . and everything changed. I've loved you for choosing to stand with me . . . to even talk with me then. I still love you for that. That's why I'm choosing to be so good to you now . . . because you were an angel, a warrior, and a friend to me, even then . . . especially then."

"You _are_ a good companion to me, Astrid," I assured her with tears in my eyes. "A wonderful companion . . . just with a few sharp edges. But I'm even coming to love those edges of yours now. You wouldn't be you without them."

"Hiccup . . ." Astrid cried, embracing me tightly, as I cried a little with her.

"I don't care if you ever change, Astrid," I sniffed as I held her. "I love you . . . just as you are. I always will. Keep throwing those fish at me."

That caused Astrid to cry against me even more . . . in joy, and love.

"I want to be better than I have been for you," she reiterated to me a moment later. "I want to give you the gift of change . . . of kindness and love you can rely on . . . feel totally safe around . . . if nothing else, so you can relax those shoulders . . . and that jaw."

"I would never refuse such a gift from you," I said gently, smiling and almost laughing that she now knew me so well. "Anything I can do to help?" I softly asked.

"Keep being gentle to me . . . being patient, and kind, and loving," she asked with her eyes closed, almost in prayer, as she touched her forehead again to my cheek. "The difference between what you do, and what I've done, haunts me. I'll get it one of these days."

"I love you, Astrid," I said.

"I'm trying to find out what it is to love you, Hiccup," she confessed.

"You're doing it, Astrid . . . not just trying," I assured her, holding and rocking her gently in the tub as she now moved down lower, nestling her head against my neck and shoulder.

"It's okay," I whispered as I cradled her with the fiercest, yet gentlest love I've ever known. "I've got you."

She just pressed her face against my neck even tighter.

It was a good talk.

— — — — —

"Morning, my love," I heard. "I have your tea."

I felt a pair of lips ever so gently kiss mine. I reached out blindly, without opening my eyes, and brought her to me.

"This is the way I like to wake up," I sighed as I felt her form settle back in bed against mine.

"I know," she whispered in my ear, sending delicious shivers down my entire body.

"Astrid . . ." I sighed contentedly.

"I'm trying," she said.

"You're doing," I assured with a smile as I finally opened my eyes to behold her.

"At least I'm getting the dragon drunk," she added with a slight smile. "He'll be ready to be worked on soon."

"You alright?" I asked.

"Yeah," she gently smiled, touching her forehead to mine once more. "I'm good . . . thanks to you. I'm gonna work on staying this way . . . even swore it on your heart," she said, laying her hand on my chest.

I just gently rolled her over in bed now.

"Wow," I said, " . . . you surrendered, without a fight this time."

"For you, yes," she said.

"Good girl," I dared to praise.

That made Astrid smile. She embraced me tightly.

The Dragon Master was beginning to tame a heart. Astrid was allowing it.

I kissed her, hard . . . and proceeded to love her for a while, as she now yielded to me totally.

We deserved it. After all, we had a busy day ahead . . . and I knew our routine was about to change.

— — — — —

"I never thought I'd be barmaid to a dragon!" Astrid laughed later as she carried another bucket of warm mead around in front of Toothless as we were about to begin work on him. "He loves this stuff straight!"

"You're doing it," I assured as I gave the beam sticking into Toothless a firm nudge. "There's no reaction as I push this . . . he's not feeling a thing!"

Toothless now had a thoroughly relaxed, dumb and happy look on his face as he gladly, but was just barely able, to hold his mouth open as Astrid poured the bucket of mead in.

"Okay," I said almost laughing at the scene, "I think that's enough for him for now. Come over here, and let's finish rigging this beam up for removal."

First, Astrid and I finished securing a chain to the top of the beam as she threw the rest of the chain over a house beam above us.

"Wow," I admired after she had just pitched the not light loops of chain upward.

"These arms may be thin," she smiled. "But they're all muscle . . . and all yours."

"Astrid . . ." I sighed happily, falling even more in love with her.

"Come on," she invited, ". . . let's keep going."

I was glad she was still a little driven at times, but she seemed more relaxed about it now. She was different, yet the same. It was refreshing.

"Okay," I said, refocusing myself. "Let's finish securing the sealskin to the beam, and then inflate it."

First, with Toothless not feeling me jerking or pressing against the beam anymore, I was finally able to saw the bottom of the beam off, so there was now a flat bottom to nail the top of the sealskin around. Together, Astrid and I nailed the top of the sealskin around the bottom of the beam, and sealed it with pine tar. Then we attached the other end of the skin around my forge bellows and began pumping the bellows. Toothless had fallen blissfully asleep by then, even snoring loudly. Any other time, that might have been annoying, but now it was an easy way for me to monitor him, and be sure he was resting comfortably and in no pain.

"Alright," I said nervously now. "It's time to cut through the dried pine tar and reopen the wounds around the beam and start pulling it up and out."

"We can do it," Astrid assured as she gave me a quick kiss and hug. "I'll cut open the top wound, you cut the bottom. We'll each apply fresh pine tar around the wounds to minimize the bleeding, and then I'll pull the chain while you monitor and take care of everything else. Let's go."

Then, taking a deep breath, I got underneath Toothless' shoulder with a dagger and cut into my friend around the beam. Once the initial shock of having to basically stab him was over, I cut around the beam as quick as I could while his dark, red blood started oozing out. Having cut halfway around the beam, I paused, quickly grabbing a brush of pine tar and slathered the thick tar over the reopened wound. It was fortunately sealing Toothless' blood in behind it. It was working.

I picked up the dagger again, and cut the rest of the way around the beam, as Astrid did the same above me on the other side of Toothless' shoulder.

"Okay, done here," she said before me. "I'll go take up the chain, and be ready to pull when you tell me."

"I'm done now," I said a short moment later, as I finished applying the pine tar before going over and pumping air from the bellows into the sealskin. "Okay . . . pull!" I instructed Astrid.

She grunted as she began pulling hard, almost beginning to lift up Toothless' entire shoulder at first. I briefly got up and joined her in pulling on the chain as well. Then the beam jerked upward, partway out of the dragon's shoulder now. I ducked back underneath his shoulder. Sure enough, the makeshift seal air bladder was now being drawn up into the wound.

"Pull more!" I said. "It's working!"

Astrid moved her hands up the chain and pulled again, carefully. The beam inched upward as I quickly moved to the bellows and pumped more air into the seal bladder again. As she continued to pull slowly but hard, I could begin to see the bottom of the beam, and the top of the sealskin, begin to emerge from the wound on top of Toothless' shoulder.

I ducked down again, and applied fresh pine tar over the lower wound around the seal bladder.

"Check as I pull the beam all the way out on top," Astrid said, pausing as I emerged from under Toothless' shoulder again. I watched the top of his shoulder as the sealskin bladder was now pulled out through the wound.

"Stop!" I said, now seeing that the beam was all the way out, and the bladder was now fully plugging the wounds. "Okay, I'm going to bind leather strapping around the top of the sealskin to pinch it off, and then we can slice through the sealskin above it, and cut the beam free."

I reached for a leather strap and wrapped it around the top of the sealskin underneath the beam, pulling the sealskin closed under where it was still attached to the beam. I now quickly cut through the skin above that, and the beam was suddenly swinging free now on the chain.

"Okay, get the beam out of the way," I said as I now sealed Toothless' top and bottom wounds again with pine tar, and the top of the seal air bladder as well, before going over and pumping the bellows more to maintain inflation in the air bladder.

"We'll burn this in the fire together, as a ceremony, when Toothless wakes up," Astrid suggested, now presenting that horrible beam to me after she had detached it from the chain.

"Now begins the long part," I sighed. "We have to watch and maintain enough air in the bladder here day and night now so his wounds don't open back up and he loses blood. We'll gradually decrease the size of the bladder as the wounds slowly close around it . . . but this will probably take weeks . . . maybe a few months. When the bladder gets small enough, we'll cut the smaller wounds open again, then either pull the bladder out and seal up the wounds, or allow his body to absorb it if it won't come out freely. But we probably won't be able to really sleep at the same time together anymore for right now."

"It'll be okay," Astrid assured as she knelt down next to me and gave me a hug. "There's not much else we can do with the storms and winds of winter now howling around us. We'll just pull our mattress over this side next to the bellows, and one of us sleeps laying down, while the other sits up and reads for a few hours during the night, or in your case, draws and thinks up more wonderful plans. Then we'll switch off, nudge and wake the other up when we're feeling really sleepy and needing to rest. We'll make this work . . . we will."

"You don't mind the mattress getting dirty on the floor of my workshop area?" I said with surprise.

"It's not that bad around here," Astrid decided looking around, " . . . and I can clean the mattress. It's worth it though, not having to sleep alone on the opposite side of the house apart from you."

"Astrid . . ." I said looking at her next to me, ". . . I love you."

"I love you, too," she smiled as she hugged me again. "But let me get a meal on for us. You keep watch here for now."

Later, when Toothless was awake . . . and after he had recovered from an obvious hangover . . . Astrid and I took the beam together and placed it into the fireplace on Toothless' right side as he watched.

"You know," Astrid said as we watched it begin to burn. "That beam is giving us all this . . . all that we're sharing now. We should be grateful for it, really."

"You wanna save it now?" I said, joking.

"Yeah," she decided, now quickly reaching for it with a metal poker, ". . . actually, I do!" So, after putting the fire out on it, we placed that charred beam, now a long log really, next to the fireplace . . . to serve as an odd symbol in our household of all that we now enjoyed, and how it came to be . . . a reminder to us that the worst of things can bring the best of times.

— — — — —

And so our new routine began. We took turns through the night . . . one of us sitting up for a few hours and keeping watch on the air bladder in Toothless' shoulder, pumping more air into it occasionally, while the other slept.

I was able to watch Astrid sleep at times during these nights now . . . so peacefully . . . as I sat up next to her. It was a scene I would never tire of enjoying, of savoring. I would so want to touch her, caress her, at times as I admired her. But I'd promise myself I'd get to do that soon enough, when I'd have to gently wake her. She was an angel, a valkyrie, an exotically beautiful warrioress . . . all in one . . . and she was gladly my wife, joyfully married and devoted to me now. I would quietly cry with awe at times when I thought about all this as I looked at her.

Then I began writing these thoughts down as they came to me at night.

I started to read them to her as I'd gently wake her up to take over my watch on Toothless and the seal bladder. Sometimes she'd cry with joy upon hearing them, but always she would be thoroughly charmed by what I'd write, asking to keep my writings with her so she could re-read them as I'd sleep. She said my words, my pages, were more beautiful to her than any book she'd ever read.

Tired as I'd be when I woke her up during the nights, once she was up, I'd have trouble laying down and falling asleep . . . wanting to stay awake and share so much with her.

She would let me stay up for a while. But then . . . "Lay down," she'd usually invite with a smile after we had shared and talked some, ". . . and let me rub you to sleep." She'd then proceed to give me massages along my entire body that were ohhh sooo good. She said they helped her finish waking up, stimulating her as she worked her arms rubbing me. Her wonderful rubs became the last thing I'd be aware of as I'd blissfully fade off to sleep.

I quickly learned how to give her massages as well, soon becoming as skilled at it as Astrid was, as the nights went by.

Our love grew deeper now as equals. She no longer threw fish at me. Our passion deepened as well.

As winter truly closed in around us now, Toothless' healing earnestly began. Just really starting to heal my friend . . . someone who had given so much to Astrid and I . . . felt wonderful. Soon, we began keeping only enough air in the sealskin to keep Toothless' wounds closed around it, almost drawing his skin to grow in around the slowly shrinking seal air bladder.

The smaller the air bladder got, the better Toothless began to feel. He first began flexing his shoulder one day while both Astrid and I were up. I touched around his wound, even pressing against it, and he no longer roared or even groaned. He began to look expectantly at me.

"Not yet, buddy," I had to caution. "Not yet."

We had another problem though.

"Hiccup, his body is getting too soft," Astrid commented to me another day, firmly rubbing against his side. "His muscles have been wasting from inactivity."

"What can we do?" I wondered.

"We need to massage him regularly now to stimulate his body," she responded. "And we need to start exercising him, even inside the house here."

"Toothless," she said, turning to him, " . . . would you try walking for me? Follow me around the house?"

"Come on, buddy," I encouraged beside her. "Let's see if you can start moving again."

Although he had been shifting himself around a little in the one spot he had been lying in, and moving his limbs periodically . . . Toothless groaned as he began to raise himself up off the ground and onto his own legs again for the first time in over two months.

"Let's rub his legs as he gets up here," Astrid encouraged. "You take one side, I'll take the other. Rub him hard, even pound on his legs."

"Come on, buddy!" I encouraged as I rubbed and even pummeled his large legs as firmly as I could.

"Okay, hold on," Astrid now encouraged, " . . . let's get some pain relief into him. I'll mix some tea and mead real quick here . . . heavy on the mead."

"Toothless, take a break," I encouraged now at his front where he could see me. "Rest. We'll try again in a moment here. You're gonna get some mead first!"

He seemed to like that idea as he lay back down for a moment.

"I need to disconnect and plug the air bladder, too," I remembered. "Otherwise, he might be trying to drag the bellows around with him."

Soon, fortified by a couple of buckets of the slightly intoxicating pain relief of Astrid's stronger mead and tea blend, we tried again.

"Alright, up on your legs, buddy," I encouraged. "Try walking with us."

Slowly, Toothless rose unsteadily onto his legs again. At least he wasn't moaning. But, I realized he almost had to learn how to walk again now. Flying again suddenly seemed like a really daunting challenge for him. But, one thing at a time, I cautioned myself.

He looked at the floor as he began moving off his patch of sand at last, concentrating on each step.

"Good boy, Toothless!" Astrid praised, stroking his head as she left for her cooking area for a moment. I saw what she was doing.

"Hey, got a fish over here for you, buddy," I encouraged as Astrid then tossed me a fish . . . gently . . . from our stores. I placed it a short distance away from him, giving him something of a challenge and goal.

We could see Toothless now focusing on the fish ahead of him as he strove to make his legs work again.

"Come on, Toothless!" Astrid encouraged as she walked right beside his large head, while I watched beside the fish ahead of him.

I exchanged a worried glance with Astrid.

"He'll do this," she assured, " . . . and fly again. It will simply take time and effort . . . from all of us."

Toothless strained as he made the final few steps towards the fish, even stretching his neck to reach it.

"You've done it, bud," I said, picking up the fish and handing it to him.

Toothless collapsed on the floor in exhaustion as he took the fish in his mouth. I was almost reduced to tears at seeing how weak and almost crippled this once mighty dragon . . . my friend . . . had become.

"Good boy, Toothless!" Astrid praised as she came next to me. She put a reassuring arm around me, seeing I needed encouragement as much as he did. "He'll do this," she optimistically assured. "Besides, we're getting a little soft, too. We could all use some exercise! So to start with, we walk him, and us, around this house. And when it's nice enough outside, we go for more walks out there."

I just hugged my wife tightly, hoping she was right . . . that Toothless would recover. I don't know if I could forgive myself if he didn't.

— — — — —

As the days progressed, we all started walking in a small oval, around Toothless' sand pit inside the house — first going in one direction for a while, and then turning around and going the other direction.

"He's going longer and longer. It's happening, Hiccup . . . he's starting to get better," Astrid assured as we walked slowly with Toothless a few days later. "Walk him until he really gets tired," she added as she kissed me, " . . . I'll get supper on for us all."

We finally took him outside into the snow as well . . . the three of us going for short walks around the cove when the weather allowed.

One day though, we found our front door buried by a heavy snowstorm the night before. A few gentle blows from our dragon however, and we had a nice, clear path again to the cove's shoreline.

Looking at my close friend, Toothless, and my wife, Astrid, laughing together in the snow one fine day . . . I could not have been happier at the sight. If Odin had offered me all of Valhalla, right there . . . I would have turned him down flat. I had my heaven now, right here . . . with the two of them.

And then one night, another bit of news happened . . . or rather was announced . . .

"Time for another 'tub talk'," Astrid requested.

"No objection from me," I said as I moved to kiss her.

"Okay . . . you can have your preliminaries," she smiled as she slowly unlaced the front of my tunic. "I like them."

"You always do," I sighed. "I make sure of that. You've taught me well, you know."

"And you have taught me, too," she said openly. "But enough 'taught' between us," she invited as she kissed me. "I want another . . . test . . ."

Soon, we were relaxing together in the tub, having once again washed and scrubbed each other, as well as being thoroughly spent from our 'test' as well . . . and blissfully in love.

"Hiccup," Astrid said, shifting and curling herself up crossways on my lap into our favourite 'talking' position in the tub, " . . . I have something to share with you."

"What is it?" I asked, sensing her get somewhat nervous now.

"I think I'm pregnant . . . with our child," she answered, looking at me . . . seeming to be unsure how I would take it.

I actually wasn't all that surprised.

I looked at her though. She now seemed different to me yet again. She was now the mother of our child. She and I had helped to create life together.

"Astrid," I warmly said as I placed my hand down over her womb.

"There's not much to feel there yet," she cautioned. "But I'm pretty sure."

"When do you think the baby will come?" I asked.

"Probably sometime in summer or early next fall," she guessed, " . . . judging by how one of my brother's wife's pregnancy went."

I drew her closer and kissed her. "I'm proud of you, Astrid," I said, touching my forehead against hers. "I'm proud of us."

"I was hoping you'd be ready for this," she said, relieved. "I'm just glad there is peace around us now . . . because I'm ready to lay my 'warrior' aside . . . and become a mother . . . the best I can be."

"You're still competitive, and driven," I smiled.

"I've been working on letting things be," she gently defended with a smile of her own, " . . . like you've suggested."

"Just don't drive our child to perfection," I requested, holding her. "We need a bit of awkwardness . . . even klutz. I have a tradition to carry on here."

"I want our child to carry on your dedication, and love," Astrid admired. "That's what you're really best at . . . because I'm so blessed that you've done that for me. I don't know if I could be a kind, loving mother without you doing what you have within me."

"Taming Astrid," I dared to joke.

"Yeah," she accepted with a smile as she kissed me again. "You gave me your heart a while ago. Now, my heart," she said taking my hand and placing it on her chest, " . . . is finally yours."

Astrid and I embraced and kissed each other again in the tub . . . long, and hard.

If I could only get Toothless back to his old self again . . . flying once more . . . everything would be perfect.


	10. Chapter 10

"Come on, bud," I coached Toothless, ". . . stretch those wings!"

It was an activity we'd had to save for those rare sunny days outdoors. We just wound up knocking too many things over whenever he'd try to extend his wings inside our house. It actually felt good to know that Toothless could be a bit of a klutz, too. I didn't feel quite so alone that way anymore. Astrid loved us both however . . . even while she picked up after us.

"How are you two doing?" Astrid asked as she joined us outside now. She just looked so stunning in her winter furs and cloak . . . then again, I couldn't think of a time when she wasn't absolutely beautiful to me.

"Pretty good," I said. "In fact, I was just going to go back inside and fetch his saddle and tail rig, tack him up in it, and go up to the bluff to start some stationary flying exercises and trials on a tether. The wind seems just right today."

"Alright!" she gleefully replied. Toothless let out an eager grunt, seeming like he could hardly wait, either.

Soon, we had hiked up to the icy bluff just south of the cove, facing a good, strong, steady headwind from the west.

I climbed on the stirrup rings and settled into the saddle on his neck again . . . for the first time since we had fought in battle together, months ago now.

Astrid held her gloved hands to her face, moved to tears as she watched us. I was moved, too.

"Okay, Toothless, nice and gradual . . ." I coached, patting his neck. "Extend your wings slowly and allow yourself to be lifted off the ground. That's all we're doing here."

I looked behind me either side as those large, sleek, black wings of his slowly extended. What a sight they were!

I now felt us floating, just off the ground, pulling against the tether, hard . . . almost like a kite on a string. I began to adjust his cloth tail fin again . . . having to remember how to do that now!

Astrid ran over in joy to even just reach a hand for me. "Come on up!" I invited, clasping her gloved hand in mine.

She rose into the saddle behind me and held on tight. We were flying together again . . . even if it was just a foot off the ground.

But then we weren't.

Toothless' wings now seemed to just fall limply to the ground. Even just keeping them extended in flight exhausted him at the moment. I realized this was going to take a while longer yet.

"Good boy, Toothless!" Astrid joyfully praised him, embracing his large head after she had dismounted again.

"Hey, that's my job!" I joked.

"He's _our_ dragon," Astrid emphasized with a smile. "If I'm going to be losing my Nadder every winter, I have the right to love him, too! How about you two take a rest here, and let me go get a bucket of mead tea. Then we'll try again, okay?" she suggested, now jogging back to our house.

"How you doing, bud?" I asked Toothless, now sitting down beside him on the bluff as he retracted his wings for the moment and laid down for a break on the ground.

Toothless just gave a quiet roar as he looked at me, and then out across the sunny but raging, wind-swept ocean in front of us.

I looked at him. I could see he lived to fly. Nothing less would truly satisfy him.

"You glad you're still here?" I asked him.

He just looked at me with large eyes, and a gentle smile, before he looked out at the ocean again.

Definitely yes.

— — — — —

We practiced stationary flying the rest of that short day . . . and the day after that.

Then the weather closed in again for weeks, seeming to undo what little progress we had made.

But, it gave me a chance to take another big step in Toothless' healing . . .

"I think it's time for the sealskin to come out," I said, looking at him one morning while yet another snowstorm blew outside. "We just don't need to keep it inflated anymore."

"Okay, so what's the plan?" Astrid asked standing next to me, just ready to go.

"Same as before," I replied. "We get him drunk, cut open the wounds, pull the sealskin out if possible, and then pine tar the wounds closed. That should be it."

"One drunk dragon, coming up!" she assured, turning to warm up the first bucket of mead.

"Why do you heat those mead buckets?" I asked.

"Because he seems to like them better that way," she replied.

"And yet he won't eat cooked food," I wondered. "Go figure."

"We all have our little preferences," Astrid noted.

"Yes we do," I agreed.

"Relax," she invited across the house from her cooking area. "This will take a while."

"Sooo . . . what do I do?" I asked, looking around. Yes, I had the workshop, but I worked there. It wasn't a place to relax for me. Actually, there still wasn't a place for me to really 'relax' around our house during the day, aside from our bed, which we had now restored to its proper place in the house. It's not like we were Romans, who used to recline on lounges all day. We were Vikings . . . and Vikings weren't supposed to 'relax'!

"Come here," Astrid invited me with a smile as she worked in her cooking area.

"Okay . . ." I said, showing up, but still not knowing what to do.

"Right here, behind me," she instructed as she stirred a large pot of mead over the fire.

"That's right . . ." she sighed as she now relaxed against me . . . while handing me the large wooden stirring spoon. "Just make sure that mead doesn't come to a boil. But when it starts steaming, let me know," she added, now closing her eyes as I held her up.

"So how am I supposed to relax here?" I asked as I now dutifully both held her up, and stirred the pot.

"One of us should use this opportunity to relax," she replied, with her eyes closed. "You didn't look like you were, so I figured I would. Thanks."

I just looked at her out of the corner of my eye, as this scene continued for a moment. Astrid finally snuck a look at me, and burst out laughing.

"How long were you actually going to do this?" she asked with a smile.

"Uhh . . . until the mead was steaming?" I replied, confused.

"You are so cute!" she laughed.

I finally began to realize I'd been had . . . or at least strung along. But I had an idea of how to get even, or at least have my own fun. I just started to kiss her . . . over and over . . . ear, neck . . . it didn't matter.

I knew Astrid's weaknesses now.

Soon, Toothless turned around to look in confusion as his mead was allowed to cool for a while, even forgotten about. Once he saw us though, he just sighed, shook his head, and turned back.

"So . . . you relaxed now?" I asked.

"Not yet," Astrid smiled in my arms . . . as we lay in bed for a while with our two tunics tossed to one side. "But I think Toothless would like to relax himself with a little warm mead tea, don't you?"

"You're right," I relented with a sigh, and a little bit of a guilty smile.

"Be right back . . . promise," Astrid said, as I let her get up to give Toothless a bucket of mead tea to sip on.

I stretched back though, and just lounged. Today, I decided we _were_ gonna be Romans.

Such was life blissfully on our own . . . where we could just put things off for a while, when something more interesting came up.

We successfully got the sealskin out of Toothless though . . . eventually. It just wasn't a very pretty picture when we did, and Astrid was only too happy to have me immediately burn it. And she asked me to clean the floor afterwards.

_And she's a warrior?_ . . . I was asking myself the whole time.

While that problem was solved, exercising our dragon however, especially his wings, was still a challenge in bad weather.

"Just knock things over around here," Astrid finally suggested with a sigh one day. "He's got to exercise those wings."

"Astrid, we love you," I said gratefully on behalf of Toothless and myself, giving her a big hug, and a hard kiss.

"What are you waiting for?" she just smiled in my arms. "Make a mess."

Now this was a wife!

So I lined Toothless up so he was oriented crossways within our long house, with his wings oriented along the length of it.

"Could you two face the other way, though?" Astrid requested. "You'll do less damage that way."

"Come on, Toothless," I suggested with a smile, leading him in turning around the other way as he briefly retracted his wings. He shook his head in bewilderment, but turned around anyway.

"Okay," I said, just climbing onto his neck without the saddle or tail rig. "Just stretch those wings!"

Toothless again extended his wings as Astrid just watched, smiling, in front of us.

"Alright, up and down now, Toothless," I continued, " . . . up and down."

His massive wings just started slowly taking big, vertical strokes. I briefly winced as I could hear some things already being knocked over.

"Just keep going," Astrid coached with a smile on her face and remaining absolutely still in front of us, not lifting a finger . . . and not looking at what was falling down around us, either.

So, this became a daily part of our family indoor exercise routine, too. For some reason though, Astrid would never accept any apologies or extra favors for Toothless and I making the messes we did every time he exercised his wings inside the house.

"I want him to fly again, too," was all she would say as she cleaned up around us each time.

I still managed to pamper her in the evenings though, massaging her in bed, and relaxing her in our tub as well. She was becoming visibly pregnant now, but refused to allow herself to slow down.

"Here's some mead for you, as well as Toothless," she said, handing me a mug of it one night as she settled into the tub with me. "He's making good progress here. It deserves a celebration!"

"Where's your mug?" I asked, accepting the one she handed me as she nestled against me.

"Mom told me mead and babies don't mix," she answered. "I don't need one. Just relaxing with you in the tub here will do nicely for me."

"How much of this stuff do we have left?" I asked. "After all, Toothless needs it way more than I do."

"I'm brewing more from our honey stores as we need it," she assured. "What you have is actually part of our latest batch. I need you to tell me if I'm getting it right."

"I thought you've been busier than usual over by the fire lately," I noted.

"Well, you've been busier than usual over in your workshop," she replied. "Thanks again for the matching nightstands either side of our bed now, by the way. They're great places to set down our teacups now when I come back to wake you in the mornings. But try the mead here."

"Okay . . . Skal!" I accepted, toasting her and taking a swig. Even though I hadn't tasted real mead straight in some time, it was smooth, woody, and had a nice kick to it.

"Astrid," I said with an admiring smile, " . . . is there anything you don't do right?"

She twisted sideways and just gave me a grateful hug and kiss, before recoiling with something of a twinge.

"You okay?" I asked with concern.

"I'm just beginning to discover some . . . limitations, here," she sighed as she straightened herself out in the tub once more.

"Lower back rubs again," I suggested. "Lean forward."

"Nope, I just want to relax against you, okay?" she decided, leaning back against me instead. "Enjoy your mead there."

I finished the half-mug of mead she gave me and then gently wrapped my arms around her somewhat growing belly.

"Could I ask you something?" she said.

"Knew there'd be a catch here somewhere," I teased.

"This is truce . . . and truth between us, okay?" she assured.

"I'm sorry, Astrid," I warmly apologized. "What's in your heart?"

"We're running low on food here," she said, " . . . and winter's not quite over yet."

"I'll go out and hunt some more," I pledged. "There should be deer at least somewhere around here. I'll try net fishing from shore, too."

"I'm sorry to make you go out in this," she apologized.

"It's alright," I assured. "After all, you and Toothless need me to."

"Mind if we go down to single daily meals for right now?" she suggested. "It'll be 'warrior's portions' . . . keep us fit and trim!"

"You eat normally, okay . . . for our child," I countered.

"I don't need to eat much, with the lack of exercise we're getting," she assured. "But I will eat decently, for our child, I promise. Can I ask you something else though?" she smiled as she ran a wet hand along the side of my face.

"Anything," I responded, cradling her against me.

"You're growing . . . larger . . . and something of a beard now," she said. "Would you let me keep you fairly nice and thin, and keep that beard of yours at least trimmed. No offense, but I just don't want it, or you, getting like your father. I don't want to have to go searching for your lips through masses of braided hair when I kiss you . . . and I'd prefer not to be hugging someone the size of a tree trunk."

"Astrid, you can keep me any way you like," I gladly offered.

"Really?" she asked turning to look at me, before going, "Oww!" again.

"Really," I assured. "Just don't hurt yourself."

"Okay," she accepted, straightening herself out again and snuggling warmly against me some more.

The very next night, I we had another bath in celebration of my first deer kill. The fresh meat, and wild root tubers I was able to find outside at her suggestion made for a wonderful meal. Astrid even treated me to warmed mead again . . . a full mug this time.

In exchange, I sat in front of her, reclining my head against her shoulders . . . and invited her to do whatever she liked with the growing hair on my head and face.

I must admit . . . I was a little bit nervous when she held a sharp dagger against my jaw at first. But she had gently lathered my face with soap, softly tracing her hand across my jaw. Now she drew the blade across my face with equal care and gentleness, rinsing it in the water after each stroke. She turned shaving into a blissful facial massage for me . . . and yet another expression of her love.

Then she had me sit up forward a bit, and took clumps of hair around my head in her fingers and gently cut through that as well. We both wound up laughing about it all at times as she proceeded to methodically trim my hair.

When she had finished, she gently drew me back against her, and held me for a while.

"Anything you want to do to me?" she offered.

I turned my head and looked up and back at her for a moment. "Nope," I sighed, "There is nothing I can see I'd want to change here . . . at all."

I earned a year's supply of goodwill . . . right there.

After Astrid had finished hugging me . . . with another "Oww", unfortunately . . . she did ask me to help trim her bangs, so her hair wouldn't get in her eyes as much. So we switched places in the tub, and with nervousness on my part, she helped me hold the hair in front of her eyebrows in my fingers just so, and cut through it.

"Knew you could do it," she assured as she relaxed against me again after I'd finished. "Thank you, Hiccup," she said as she very carefully leaned back and connected her lips with mine.

"Maybe I'll let you grow a little bit of a beard," Astrid decided, " . . . but otherwise, I love that smooth face of yours," she sighed as she ran her fingertips along my cheek and jaw.

"While I like you shaving me in the tub . . . let's just cut hair somewhere else," I suggested, noticing all the floating hairs in the tub that were already getting stuck to each of us.

"Okay," Astrid agreed with a sheepish smile, not seeming to mind.

I never knew such simple acts of caring for each other could mean so much . . . or feel so good.

Neither of us now cared if we ever went back to the village . . . or even saw anyone else at all.

— — — — —

Spring, well early summer, really, was now returning to our cove. The icebergs were clearing, the snow was melting, and the sun was beginning to shine and warm us . . . for days at a time.

Astrid was at first a little embarrassed that she couldn't fit into her warrior's garb anymore . . . without letting it out a little.

"You look heavenly to me," I assured her anyway.

I earned a second year's supply of goodwill.

The real challenge though was getting Toothless back in the air. His legs and wings were stronger now, but it was time to find out what he could do.

The day finally came.

As soon as I had fastened his saddle and tail rig on him, Toothless turned and looked at me . . . ready to go . . . ready to take to the air for real again.

"Be careful, you two," Astrid requested as she walked with us out of the house onto the cove's sand beach.

I looked at my beautiful, now moderately pregnant wife in the bright sun. "We will," I promised. I wasn't going to do anything less.

"Okay, Toothless," I offered, turning to him. "You wanna take off from here, or walk up to the bluff, and have a little more help from the wind up there?"

He just gave a gentle roar, and gestured with his head straight out across the cove.

"Alright, bud," I accepted with reservation as I climbed up into his saddle.

"Stand back," I advised Astrid as Toothless spread his wide, black wings.

"Go, Toothless . . ." my wife quietly encouraged as he now primed his wings for a powerful thrust.

I crouched down with him as he lowered himself, preparing to spring into the air.

We launched! Just two beats of his wings had us vaulting out over the cove . . .

. . . and then into the cove.

We had to each swim back towards the beach.

"Let's try the bluff . . ." Astrid suggested when Toothless and I finally emerged from the water.

I just gave a wry smile as Toothless shook himself dry.

— — — — —

After a few tethered flying tests on the bluff, I was ready to let Toothless try again.

"Okay, bud," I cautioned. "If you feel ready to, let's launch. But remember, if we go in the drink this time, it's a long swim back to the cove, or a long climb up this bluff, alright?"

Toothless gave a brief roar and nodded in acceptance of the challenge as he looked out across the sea. He knew what he was doing, and he knew the consequences of failure.

I climbed back into the saddle as Astrid looked nervously at me.

"Don't you dare go into 'cold sleep' on me, okay?" she asked.

"Promise," I said as Toothless began to spread his wings again for take-off. "I love you, Astrid."

"Love you, too," she assured as she stepped back, " . . . both of you."

Toothless had never looked so serious or determined in his life as he crouched down now, priming himself for take-off.

"Do it," I said.

Toothless launched us straight, out over the edge of the bluff. There was no turning back now. No do over. We would fly . . . that's all there was to it.

Toothless beat his wings powerfully, pulling us upwards and outwards into the air. If he felt any pain, weakness, or fatigue . . . he wasn't showing it. I felt the wind now begin to support us . . . to even lift us upwards as we gained altitude and began to soar.

We were doing it . . . Toothless and I were flying together again.

He began to bank, roll, dive, and climb out over the ocean now, with me matching his moves right with him again. Neither one of us had forgotten how to work together in the air.

As we arced round a rocky offshore sea stack and the wind lifted us up again, I could see Astrid in the distance back on the bluff. She had her hands over her face. I could see she was crying for joy with us.

"Hey, bud," I suggested. "Let's go get Astrid, too. She's part of us, and shouldn't be missing out on this . . . don't 'ya think?"

Toothless just smoothly banked back towards the bluff, and with a few braking flaps of his wings, set down in front of a still tearfully joyful Astrid.

All I had to do was hold out my hand for her.

I had earned yet another year of goodwill . . . for Toothless, too!

Once Astrid was snuggly gripping me from behind, all I had to say was, "Let's go."

Toothless turned and launched us off the bluff again, this time allowing himself a bit of a dive down towards the water, before leveling off just in time and beating his wings to regain altitude.

"He just wants you to remember the first time you flew with us," I excused.

"You two boys behave yourselves," Astrid cautioned with a smile. "Remember, we have a baby onboard here . . . or at least on the way."

"Okay, you heard her, Toothless," I gently warned. "Let's fly nice here. Take us where you want, but don't overdo it. When you're tired, it's home to the cove, okay?"

As Toothless, Astrid and I soared, curved, rose and dived among the scattered clouds and sunshine, we all shared a flight each of us could only dream about not long ago.

"I am so proud of you . . . and him," Astrid whispered in my ear as she held me tightly from behind. I just gripped her hands firmly with one of mine, as they were wrapped around me.

"Way to go, Toothless," Astrid now praised to him as well, patting him on the neck.

Toothless now briefly looked back at us . . . with the most satisfied smile and look on his face I had ever seen.

All was right with our world now.

"Astrid," I asked. "What would you like to do next?"

"You mean go back to Berk, or stay here?" she queried.

"Yeah," I confirmed. "I don't know if I want to go back anymore."

"Well, we made it through one winter," she noted. "We learned some things for next time. We have all summer to get ready again here. I helped my brother's wife give birth, so I could teach you how to help me . . . You want to stay, Hiccup?"

"Astrid . . . this feels like our home now," I said, discovering a few tears in my eyes. "The village no longer does to me."

"Then it's unanimous," Astrid quietly declared in my ear. "We stay. This is our home now . . . but we should probably visit the village sometime, don't you think? Check on everyone . . . and let them know we're okay, too?"

"They might not want to let us go, once we go back," I cautioned. "I'll get grabbed to train dragons . . . make stuff in the village workshop. The guys will try and get me drunk," I added, casting a knowing glance back towards her. "You'll get sequestered by the village women . . . doing 'women stuff' . . ."

"Sounds like you don't even want to go back for a visit," my wife suggested.

"I've changed," I admitted. " I have what I want now, Astrid . . . right here . . . with Toothless, and you."

"Hiccup . . ." she replied, holding me even tighter from behind as she rested her head on my shoulder, " . . . me, too."

Judging by the way Toothless was just gliding across the sky with us . . . it seemed like he had what he wanted as well. The rest of the world could cease to exist now . . . and we three wouldn't miss it.

But then Astrid spotted something. "What's that?" she asked pointing down below us.

It was a single ship . . . and it was turning towards our cove now.

Suddenly the atmosphere around us, even within us, changed.

Even Toothless lost his smile and joy as he saw the ship below us now.

"Home," I directed Toothless as we turned and soared over the ship at a high altitude.

Even though I could see it was one of ours by its sail . . . I no longer had a good feeling about the craft that was about to call on us.

— — — — —

Toothless, Astrid, and I coasted into our cove, landing in front of our home ahead of the ship, to await its arrival. I dismounted first, and then turned to help Astrid off of Toothless' saddle. One look in Astrid's eyes, and I could tell she didn't feel right about the ship and its visit now either. I just sighed, looking down, as Astrid put a hand to my face in understanding and support.

"I don't want to see anyone yet," I admitted, looking at her.

"I know," she said.

It suddenly felt like our private paradise was at an end. Our heavenly winter was now truly over . . . the rest of the world was intruding again. I took one last private embrace and heart-felt kiss with her. I didn't know why, but I now wished I could take one last private roll in bed with her, even a last bath without others around us at all.

"It had to happen sometime, my love," Astrid sighed as she caressed my face with understanding.

"I will always remember and treasure this winter we've shared, Astrid," I said. "I always want us to be this close, whether we're alone now or not."

"I promise, we will be, Hiccup . . . I promise," Astrid pledged, as she looked up at me a little now. I suddenly realized I had grown some, just as she'd said.

"I love you, now and always," she finished.

"I love you, too . . . my wife, and mother of our child," I said, kissing her again as we both heard the ship ground on the beach near us.

I looked almost longingly at my wife as we emerged from out kiss. Taking a deep breath, I then turned, bracing myself to greet what was probably my father . . .

But instead, Astrid and I were greeted by a ship full of women and girls, all very somber. Ruffnut and Astrid's mother, Ingrid, slowly jumped off the ship onto our beach first.

"_Mother?_" Astrid asked in surprise. "What are you doing here? Where are the men? Is something going on?"

Both Ruffnut and Ingrid looked at us with the most hollow, tearful eyes . . . unable to say a thing at first. Then Ingrid looked behind her out to sea, and turned back towards us, steeling herself.

"Berk has been invaded," she said.


	11. Chapter 11

"Berk has been invaded."

I never thought I would hear those words.

My wife now looked at me. Tears were welling up in her eyes . . . but not for our village. She knew what it now meant for us . . . what at least Toothless and I would have to do.

"No . . ." she said, starting to shake her head. "No . . ." I embraced my wife hard as she kept tearfully repeating, even pleading, "No . . . No . . ."

"Astrid, my daughter . . . what's going on?" Ingrid asked. "This isn't like you."

"I'm going to be a mother," she replied as she buried her head against my shoulder and neck. "I'm several months pregnant. I am _not_ going to lose my family, especially my husband. Not now."

"Astrid, you know what we have to do," I said holding her.

"I refuse," she sniffed, trying to maintain control. "If Berk's been taken over . . . it's suicide to try taking it back against the kind of force it took to conquer it."

"Not with dragons," I said.

"_What dragons?_" she replied in anguish. "All we have is Toothless, and he's only just beginning to fly again! Mine's gone. If Snotlout and his Nightmare couldn't stop them, what hope is there that you'd succeed? If it's a choice between a village that may already be lost, and our family . . . I ask you to choose our family now. We can make a new village somewhere else . . . maybe here. This mostly inaccessible cove could be a good natural protection against invaders."

"Astrid," I said directly. "That's the wife and mother in you talking. What does the warrior I love in you say about this?"

That stopped Astrid for a moment as she looked past my shoulder at the boatload of refugees that was now beginning to disembark on the beach of our cove. She then slowly looked at me.

"Hiccup, I'm sorry," she said, shaking her head again. "I'm just so scared . . . of losing you, after all we've come to share together. It's hard enough that our heaven here is at an end now. But to send you off to battle, into a situation worse than what we fought against here . . . while I remain here and nurture our child within me . . . it's not right, my love. It's not right."

"But it's what we must do together," I said, " . . . for our family now . . . for our child."

"I would rather die with you," she responded.

"I know," I replied, touching my forehead against hers. "But we . . . you and I . . . have another life now to protect . . . one that we helped to create."

"I know," my wife reluctantly agreed in turn. She took several deep breaths, almost burying her nose against my shoulder.

"Astrid . . ." I haltingly said, barely able to hold it together myself now.

"What, my love?" she asked, tearfully focusing on me for a moment.

"This is so unfair . . ." I said as I now broke down and cried, holding her.

Astrid openly cried with me.

"ODIN!" she now yelled to the skies. "You keep my husband safe, _you hear me?_" You keep him _alive!_ You keep him _with me!_ Or so help me, I will come through the halls of Valhalla itself and wreak such vengeance as you could not possibly know! I will come for you myself!"

"Astrid!" her mother scolded, shocked at the seeming blasphemy.

"The gods respect warriors, mother!" Astrid forcefully replied. "Those who fight and die for what they believe in. I believe in my husband, and the love we have grown together! And to have it lost, taken away, now? No! I would rather be condemned for fighting even the gods for this man of mine, than to just passively let him go to his death, especially without me."

"Astrid, you would deny Hiccup his honour to fight for our people?" her mother warned her.

"That is not what I . . . Toothless and I . . . are ready to fight for," I interrupted. "A village that has considered me a nuisance, even an accident-prone menace most of my life? No. I fight for family here . . . so that my wife and child can have life . . . and for my father. Don't invite me to choose between honour and love . . . because love would win in me, every time."

"I see . . ." Ingrid said quietly. "So you're still not quite one of us."

"I am one of _us_ now — my family," I replied proudly, gesturing to Astrid, Toothless, and myself. "You want me to fight for the village? You respect that."

"You want a reason to fight?" Ingrid asked. "Then you should know that the warriors we were merciful to last fall were the ones who invaded us. They landed at the far side of our island, and invaded from the hills above us. We were completely unprepared, and never saw them coming, until it was too late. They have all our men and boys imprisoned in the village. Life has been terrible for us women these last few days as well. I wish I could have brought more of us here . . . but we could only risk trying to escape in one ship. Many women volunteered to stay behind, so that others could leave."

"Oh gods," Astrid tearfully said in disbelieving shock as we held each other.

"And, Hiccup," Ingrid added, " . . . they have taken your father away from us . . . back to their fortress city far to the south. They captured him," she now said with tears. "They would not permit him an honourable death in battle. Now, he's a slave . . . and a wounded one at that. Gobber volunteered to go with him . . . so that he wouldn't be facing this totally alone . . ." Ingrid was now overcome with grief herself. She couldn't continue.

"No . . ." I said, looking down and shaking my head in shock as Astrid now tried to console me.

"There's more," Ingrid warned, recovering herself somewhat as she turned to look out to sea again past the cove, " . . . and there it is," she now pointed. "I knew we would be followed here. Hiccup . . . you must destroy that ship out there. We were told in the village that if anyone tried to escape, all who tried would be killed, along with any who helped in the escape. That now includes you, and my daughter."

"I understand," I nodded, as I now looked at Toothless.

"Destroy that ship," Astrid relented. "But you come back here, to me, before you go anywhere else. Agreed?"

"Agreed," I somberly replied.

"Toothless is probably already sore from his flying today," she noted. "I will have more mead tea ready for him, and something for you as well, when you return. Now go . . . before I can't let you anymore."

"Astrid . . . my wife," was all I could say as I quickly kissed her and turned to remount Toothless.

I looked into one of his eyes as we prepared to lift off again. I wished he wasn't as ready for war as he seemed to be.

Before I could even look at Astrid again, Toothless took off, out over the cove, beating his wings powerfully to gain altitude. From the way he had seen us look at that ship, he knew what he needed to do.

I didn't even order him to fire before he let loose first one blast, and then another a few seconds later.

The ship now exploded into two balls of fire, fore and aft. Toothless arced around the burning ship, as I matched his moves with the cloth tailfin, and we moved to attack it from behind. He unleashed another blast, hitting the ship amidships, breaking its flaming mass in two.

Even as the warriors began sinking into the cold sea though, we were having spears and arrows hurled towards us . . . as if they wanted to drag Toothless and I down with them. One spear sank into Toothless now, just forward of his left rear leg, along with several arrows. He barely seemed to register them however.

"Again, Toothless," I reluctantly ordered.

Two more blasts from him soon brought a brief blanket of fire over what remained of the ship. Then a smoky stillness fell on the now scattered, floating wreckage beneath us. There were now no survivors that could harm us in the cove . . . harm my family.

"I'm sorry we had to do that, buddy," I somberly said to Toothless as I patted him on the neck, while he now banked us away from the scene and back towards our home at the cove.

Toothless just resolutely flew towards the cove. He seemed ready to eliminate any threat to his family now . . . to us.

— — — — —

We landed on the cove beach outside our house. The girls and women were now helping each other move what belongings and supplies they had been able to bring with them into our house. I couldn't see Astrid among them, however.

"Wait outside here," I instructed Toothless, as I didn't think there'd be room for a dragon in the house right now. Being the only man among them, everyone else just stared at me as I passed by. Once I entered through our front door, I found Astrid working alongside her mother and the Elder in the cooking area. She turned and saw me, dropping what she was doing.

I gladly received my wife into my arms.

"I'm sorry I couldn't greet you properly when you returned," Astrid apologized as we kissed.

"Yes you are," I warmly assured. "What do you call this?"

She allowed herself a brief, grateful smile, before getting right down to business. "The need is great here now," she noted. "I have mead tea brewing for Toothless. We're also brewing teas and other remedies for the sick and injured among the village women. But we need food for everyone, Hiccup. We no longer have enough to go round. Could you make a few fish runs with Toothless?"

"He has some injuries I must tend to first," I replied, " . . . including a spear near one of his hind legs."

"I think we still have a little pine tar left . . . otherwise there's some on the ship," Astrid noted. "I'll get that and help you outside."

"There's no time to waste," Ingrid urged from the cooking area. "You must attack our village tonight. When the warriors you've already attacked don't return tomorrow, the rest of our people will pay for that."

"Alright," I sighed, massaging my brow, " . . . let's get to it."

"Hey," Astrid said quietly to me amid the busyness that now surrounded us inside our no longer quiet home, " . . . I love you."

"Astrid . . ." I sighed for a moment as we fiercely hugged each other.

"I know," she said as she saw the longing look in my eyes for her. She tried smiling for me, but she soon buried her face against my shoulder again.

"You can't lie to me," I tearfully said.

"I'm not even going to try, okay?" Astrid replied against my shoulder.

"Astrid! Hiccup! Get going!" Ingrid directed from the cooking area.

"Do you even_ know _what love is, mother?" Astrid turned around and erupted at her.

"Yes," Ingrid said somberly, " . . . I do. There isn't a day that goes by where I don't wish I could still do with your father what you're doing with your own husband, right now."

"I'm sorry," Astrid apologized quietly, as I continued to hold her. "Why?" she then said as she just looked vacantly into my shoulder. "Why all this? . . . Why now?"

"Because others outside us _don't_ seem to know what love is," Ingrid simply said as she now walked towards Astrid and I. "They get seduced by ultimately empty notions of glory, wealth, pride, revenge, and yes, honour. Your father and I began to ask the question together you just did, some time ago. That's why we started peaceful trading voyages. But he was killed anyway, during one of them. I've had to live with a mostly broken, empty heart ever since. I've masked my true self behind honour, too, now. Astrid, Hiccup . . . I'm sorry . . ."

"Mother . . . come here, please," my wife invited. We soon took Ingrid into our shared embrace.

"Hiccup," Ingrid tearfully said, " . . . I'm sorry you have to do what you're going to. If there was a way I could spare both you and her from this battle, I would. Too many people that we know and care about though, including your father, need your help now. But please, if you possibly can . . . don't allow my daughter to know the terrible loneliness, and heartache, that I've had to bear. Live . . . and come back to her . . ."

"I will . . . I swear . . . on her heart," I promised, as I touched my forehead against my wife's.

Ingrid tearfully smiled as she looked at us now. "The gods had better not 'mess' with this love," she agreed. "Otherwise, I'll fight them, too."

"Mother . . ." Astrid cried as she now embraced Ingrid tightly. I could see a reconciliation . . . an honesty . . . now taking place between them — one that had not happened between them before . . . but needed to.

"Let's get going," Astrid invited, looking at both me, and her mother now. "Toothless needs healing again, and we've got a lot to do."

— — — — —

Daylight was fading now as Astrid and I finished tarring over Toothless' spear wound.

"That should do it," Astrid sighed.

"We'll make a couple of fish runs here," I offered, climbing aboard Toothless again. "Just have a dry change of clothes ready for me."

"I'll have a quick bath ready, too . . . to really warm you back up again," my wife assured.

"Astrid!" I objected. "We have guests in our house now!"

"You really never have lived in a crowded household, have you?" my wife smiled. "You're getting a bath . . . and I will be briefly joining you. You will not deny me that, my husband! Now go!" she said, giving Toothless a friendly slap of encouragement.

Toothless just took off with me still in a state of stunned shock and wonder at what Astrid had just said.

"No . . . way . . ." I sighed to myself in disbelief.

Toothless now looked back at me, wondering why we were airborne.

I shook myself back to the present moment. "Toothless, fish!" I said.

I needed a cold splash in the ocean now . . . and I soon got one, as Toothless dove, easily scattering a flock of seagulls on the surface nearby, and scooping up a mouthful of fish before surging back into the sky again.

"Home, Toothless," I directed, as I was still shaking my head at the prospect of having to bathe in front of all those strangers . . . even though I was loosely acquainted with most of them . . . especially because of that. They all knew who I was! And they were all female, too!

We soon dropped off our first load of fish at the doorstep of our home though, and turned around, ready to go back for another.

"Hey, wait!" I heard behind me just as I was about to urge Toothless to take off again.

Astrid ran up beside me as I was seated in Toothless' saddle. "We need two more fish loads, alright? Enough to last all these people a couple days. Your warm bath will be waiting for you after your third run here . . . and so will I," Astrid said as she leaned up and kissed me.

"You're not going to have me . . . have us . . ." I almost dared to ask.

"You can go," she said, smiling as she gave Toothless another friendly slap, as he took off into the air again with me.

— — — — —

After two more wet and chilling fish runs, Toothless found a nice, steaming bucket of mead tea waiting for him, along with a small pile of his favourite raw fish . . . inside our house, right in his sand patch . . . and I found myself in our tub.

Astrid had just sat me down on the tub's edge as soon as we had settled Toothless down with his tea. I tried to object, even raise a concern or two . . . but she would take no dissent from me this time. She simply began taking my leg rig . . . and everything else . . . off. No one else seemed to take any notice, however. I was just frozen in silence the whole time. I did slink into the tub though, before Astrid could finish taking my tunic off.

"Well, we did need to start washing this," she smiled, " . . . but not quite yet!"

Astrid then just shed her own tunic and climbed right in with me, as if the whole thing was perfectly normal.

"You've lived in a chief's house . . . by yourself . . . way too long," she noted with a smile. "This is the way most of the rest of us live."

The other women and girls just ate fish, talked among themselves, and rested around our house.

"Hey, over here," Astrid said as she swung my face back towards her.

"I . . ." I couldn't even begin a sentence with her now. It wasn't so much embarrassment now . . . it was just everything else.

"I know . . . it's alright," she soothed with such beautiful understanding as she caressed my face. "Let's say it straight, okay? Confront it head-on . . . even fight it, right now, like we vowed. If this is it for us . . . I love you . . . I . . . love . . . you."

"I . . . love . . . you . . . Astrid," I just barely said, my voice was quivering so badly.

"Let it out, Hiccup," she invited. "The sadness of parting, the fear of loss, even the possibility of death. Let it out with me now. Get it out of the way between us . . . so that we can just be . . . just love together. Cry with me . . . please . . ." She couldn't hold her tears back now anymore than I could as she started to kiss me. I kissed her . . . and cried with her . . . for the longest time.

We just let it out together as we loved each other . . . the suddenness of it all, the fear, the longing, passion, and so much more. I did not want this to be our last time together . . . neither of us did. But we tried to express and share a lifetime of feelings together if it was.

"Hiccup . . . happy 25th anniversary," Astrid said quietly at one point. "I just wanted to make sure you heard that from me."

I held nothing back now within myself as I looked at my wife . . . I gave her everything I had within me.

— — — — —

After we both ran out of tears and raw emotions of so many kinds, I held Astrid closely, cradled in my lap, as she nestled her head against my neck and shoulder. We talked as if no one else was there.

"I don't know what else I can tell you . . . say to you," my wife said quietly to me as she held me as close as possible to her, as hard as she could. "It's taking all the strength I have not to go with you though . . . to take the place beside you in this that is rightfully mine."

"Astrid, do what you feel led to," I openly invited, giving her the permission . . . the freedom . . . I felt she deserved.

"I will," she promised with a grateful smile as she nudged against me some more. "But honestly, nothing's coming to me right now, except the knowledge, the certainty, that I have to stay here for the moment. I know it's the right thing for us to be doing here."

"This is the way I want to part from you, Astrid," I said to her, drawing her closer against me again, " . . . for now. Knowing . . . agreeing . . . that we're doing the right thing, together."

"We are, my love," she agreed, as we now found an almost surreal calm and peace with each other. "Even though I'm about to remove my arms, and my body, from you . . . I am not letting go of you . . . you understand?"

"I understand," I assured as we looked at each other one more time in the tub. "Nor am I letting go of you."

"You know," I then said, almost able to laugh again now, " . . . I hope we get together later, even later tonight, and look upon all this as being really . . . unnecessary."

"Even _when_ we see each other later, Hiccup," Astrid smiled, " . . . this was necessary . . . so necessary."

Astrid embraced me tightly one more time as we reclined in our tub together. I embraced her as well. She then reached up with a wet hand and gripped my face. She kissed me, hard, as she slid her hand behind my head. It was a kiss only married warriors could know together.

Astrid emerged from that kiss looking at me . . . her hand once again on the side of my face. In silence, she then reluctantly stood up. I allowed my eyes to trace a final gaze down her form as she did, feeling nothing but love. She then extended a hand down to me, inviting me to stand up. I no longer cared who, or how many others, were around as I did. I balanced on one leg, embracing my wife one more time. She smiled and hugged me one more time, as I reached for a sheepskin to dry her.

"No," she said, " . . . I'll dry you first, this time."

"Nope," I smiled as I wrapped her in the sheepskin, " . . . you get cold more easily. I'm drying you first."

Astrid just smiled and relented. I kissed her gratefully for not resisting me on this one.

"Ordinarily," I said, " . . . I'd want to take you to bed at this point. But," I noted, now looking in that direction, " . . . I see we have guests already occupying it . . . three of them, in fact."

"I almost might as well come with you now, huh?" she smiled.

"Yeah," I agreed, " . . . wish you could."

"Me, too," she said as she now began drying me.

Somehow more tears were coming on now. I thought I was done with those! I tried to find that place in myself where I could resist crying again, just managing to hold onto it, for Astrid's sake. I could tell she was struggling not to cry, too.

I just grabbed her once more as we were each wrapped in a sheepskin before we began putting our clothes on again, wanting to be honest with her.

"You're just holding it together here, aren't you?" I whispered to her, " . . . 'cause that's what I'm doing."

"Yeah," she sniffed, burying her face against my shoulder and neck, " . . . I am. But I want to remember us happy, okay . . . because I feel so much love for you."

"I want that love, Astrid," I said, " . . . whether it's happy or sad."

We gently kissed, one more time . . . as we heard Ingrid clearing her throat near us.

It was time for me to go.

"You should know that the warriors are garrisoned in Hoark's and Gobber's houses," Ingrid now advised as Astrid dressed me and attached my leg rig. "Their leader is now occupying your father's house. They're using the cages in the Dragon Ring to imprison our men, along with a couple of our dragons. They maintain a constant watch at the edge of the ring, but they've been reducing the number of guards, figuring they've broken our spirits now. They've slaughtered several of our most domesticated dragons, including unfortunately, the twins' Zippleback. But Snotlout's Nightmare and Fishleg's Gronckle were alive and imprisoned at the ring when we left last night."

"Then I'll have to take out the three houses in the first pass," I decided, " . . . then blast our way into the Dragon Ring, and free both the dragons and the men. But Toothless will have to make two more blasts to make a hole in the ring's fence large enough for the Nightmare to escape through. Then we'll all just have to fight until we gain the upper hand."

"That's what I'd have planned," my wife praised with a gentle smile, as she finished buckling up my leg rig, kneeling in front of me.

"You're right here," I said to her, pointing at my own heart, " . . . guiding me all the way."

"You just keep my heart safe inside you then," she said as she now helped me stand up, placing her hand over my heart and kissing me.

"I'm feeling better about this now," I assured her.

"Me, too," she agreed as we embraced each other one more time. "I got dibs on another bath with you though," she whispered in my ear.

"And I got dibs on giving you a massage in bed," I whispered right back, " . . . even if we have to sleep out in the woods."

"Don't get me excited, you bad boy!" she smiled as I turned to lead both Toothless and her out our front door into the night. "Oh darn," she then said remembering, " . . . I've forgotten to feed you!"

"I think I'm good for now, actually," I assured. "Anticipation is keepin' the ol' stomach pretty busy here. Just feed me sometime later. That way I'll be sure and come back!"

"I'll feed you," she promised, " . . . really well."

"I'll be back for that," I sighed. The way she said that _really_ gave me a reason to want to survive this thing now!

"You'd better take another dragon rider," Ingrid advised, " . . . both to guide you to the right houses, and ride the Nightmare or the Gronckle . . . if the worst has happened to our men by now."

I now shared a glance with Astrid, suddenly realizing she and I just might go together now after all.

"Take Ruffnut," Ingrid advised. "I can ride dragons now, too . . . but I'm not as light and agile as I used to be in battle . . . and neither is Astrid right now. I'm sorry, my daughter."

Astrid now looked down, disappointed but reluctantly accepting her mother's judgment.

Outside the front door of our now treasured home, I turned and gave Astrid a last embrace.

"I _will_ see you later," I said to her.

"You can count on it," she assured. "I love you anyway, my husband," she added, trying to be nonchalant about our goodbye, but kissing me hard.

"I love you . . . my wife . . . my Astrid," I said with all the depth and intensity I could find within myself.

I remained there, looking at her in my arms, for a moment.

"Go . . ." she finally had to whisper to me.

I glanced down, smiling in embarrassment, before giving her another quick hug and kiss, and then tearing myself away from her to mount Toothless.

Then, to my guilty and secret admiration within . . . Toothless now growled and bared his teeth a little as Ruffnut tried to get herself up into the saddle behind me.

"Geez!" Ruffnut exclaimed in frustration at Toothless. "This again? It's war here, dragon! He's married to her, alright? They even have a child on the way! I'm not a home-wrecker!"

I could not help shaking my head and laughing out loud now as I sat in the saddle . . . appreciating, even savoring this wonderful, even mood-lifting, comic scene. Everyone, except Ruffnut, now laughed, too.

"It's . . . It's alright, Toothless," Astrid assured as she tried to stifle her own laughter as she laid a reassuring hand on his large head. "We need you to take Ruffnut with you, okay? She can even hold onto him in flight. But keep an eye on him for me anyway, would you?"

Astrid then playfully winked at me.

"You'd better hang on, Ruffnut," Astrid now openly encouraged her. "Toothless has a way of taking off kind of suddenly."

"Geez . . ." Ruffnut sighed as she reluctantly put her arms around me, burying her forehead against the back of my neck. "Now my rep is a wreck in our town for sure! Could we like, get going already?"

I reached for Astrid one last time as she extended her hand towards me. I gave her hand a brief, firm clasp as I smiled at her. This was the way I wanted to go . . . no tears, no regrets. Just a smile between her and I.

She and I also shared our sign . . . a clenched fist across our hearts.

Astrid looked so beautiful to me as she gave her sign, I almost started crying again. I could tell she was feeling the same way.

"Okay, buddy," I now said, taking a deep breath and turning to Toothless, " . . . let's go."

Ruffnut now screamed . . . actually pretty close to the way Astrid once did . . . as Toothless launched us powerfully up into the night sky.

"Stay with me back there," I encouraged, as I clasped one of my hands over hers, just in case . . . even though Ruffnut already had a fairly terrified death grip on me as it was.

"South, bud," I then directed, " . . . off to Berk."

I couldn't say 'home to Berk', because Berk didn't feel like home to me anymore . . . and I didn't want to confuse Toothless.

"Oh gods, I never want to do that again!" Ruffnut quietly swore behind me. "Besides . . . this is sooo awkward here. It's creeping me out."

"Relax, okay?" I asked. "This trip is still gonna take a couple of hours, even by dragon."

"You two seem awfully cool with this," Ruffnut cautioned. "I'd be like, stabbing people by now if I was her."

"How do you know she didn't want to?" I playfully queried.

It felt good, speaking for Astrid now . . . even joking for her. It helped me feel connected to my wife still.

"Just get us there," Ruffnut sighed. "It's not like this was my idea, either."

"Enjoy the ride," I invited, looking at the stars, clouds and even moonlit cliffs and surf all around us. "Toothless and I always do . . . no matter where we're going. You doing okay, Toothless?" I asked.

He grunted positively and kept on flying forward, flapping his large wings occasionally and wisely conserving his strength.

"Mind if I doze then?" Ruffnut asked. "It's been a long night and day for me already."

"I understand," I assured. "Just go ahead and rest against my back here. We need you rested and ready when we get there. It's okay, Ruffnut, really."

"Why couldn't there be two of you?" she asked as she faded off to sleep against my back.

That made me feel for Ruffnut . . . it did. Even after all this time, after she knew I'd been married to Astrid for months now . . . Ruffnut still felt something for me in her own way.

"It's okay, Ruffnut," I decided to assure her again. "There's something . . . someone . . . out there for you. I've got your back, as a friend though, in the meantime."

I now felt her fully relax against me, although I gently reached back and tilted the twin horns of Rufnutt's helmet away from the side of my face. I was so glad Astrid chose to just wear that sexy leather band of hers on her head. It always drove me wild seeing her in that headband. I even had her wear it in the bathtub sometimes, and to bed at times as well.

Now those were pleasant memories!

But sensing Ruffnut shifting against me again in her sleep, it made me wish that there were perhaps two of me . . . for Ruffnut's sake more than mine.

Astrid was really all the one of me wanted, however . . .

. . . And I was determined to see her again.


	12. Chapter 12

I thought, I prayed, I even sighed en route to Berk.

Earlier this same day, I had been blissfully enjoying life at the cove, even celebrating Toothless' first real flight with Astrid right by my side.

Now, only hours later, I was on the way to war — to unleash a fiery hell on the village I had once called home . . . to destroy houses I had once helped to build, even the one I had lived in with my father. Would it save our people there? Would I really live through it, return to Astrid, see my child being born?

I hoped so.

I tearfully closed my eyes as my throat quivered. I decided it had better be so — otherwise I was going to beat Astrid to it in wreaking our shared vengeance upon Valhalla for screwing up our life together.

The coastline began to look familiar now, and I could start to see the faint glow of bonfires in the distance.

"Ruffnut, wake up," I said, shaking my shoulders as well. "We're approaching Berk."

"Wh-What? . . . Ohhh thiss is nice," Ruffnut slurred as she shifted against me, seeming to either be emerging from a dream . . . or into one. "Five more minutes, okay sweetheart?"

She was in a dream alright.

"Ruffnut . . . I'm married . . . to Astrid," I said clearly.

That woke her up, just as I expected.

"Oh, sorry . . . I'm up," she said, pulling herself back from me in the saddle a bit. "Sorry you heard that."

"Ruffnut," I said, "it's alright. I appreciate the thought, I do. Maybe in another lifetime there could be an 'us' to explore — but you shouldn't be waiting that long. Love is good, Ruffnut. It is."

"Well, we could be going to Valhalla tonight," Ruffnut admitted nervously.

"Uh, I think Astrid's got dibs on me up there, too," I hesitated.

"That powerful, huh?" Ruffnut remarked.

"Yeah, our love . . . and she . . . kind of are," I admitted.

"Well," she said as she surprisingly settled herself against my back again, "I'm happy for you . . . I really am."

"You okay though?" I asked.

"Hiccup . . . thanks for asking," Ruffnut said, gratified. "But no, I'm not — at least when I'm around you now. I don't know why either, because until you succeeded at dragon training, and then trained our dragons, I thought you were a real screw-up."

"Gee, thanks," I said with some sarcasm. "But, you did tell me so at times," I smiled, somehow able to now accept that from her. "Find someone for yourself though, okay?"

"Around our village?" she asked, almost laughing. "It's either Snotlout, a fat, hairy old Viking, or wait for the next generation to grow up. Think I'll pass for now."

"Snotlout's not so bad," I suggested. "But I'll let you in on a secret."

"What's that?" Ruffnut asked, with interest now.

"Wives can train husbands," I said.

"No . . . way . . ." Ruffnut slowly replied, amazed.

"Way," I confirmed. "With just the right approaches wives can, with a little work, shape us into the men of their dreams — or at least maybe something close. It's kind of like working with dragons. First you gotta win our confidence and trust. Then you make suggestions, in just the right way, of what you'd rather have happen . . . and then, you keep positively encouraging us along the way. Nagging won't work though, trust me. Finally, just reward us generously when you see any progress toward the behavior or changes you desire. With that, you can turn most, but not all, crude, sloppy Vikings into almost an Aryan god you might just drool over. You can get us to comb our hair, trim or shave our beards, lose weight, actually be thoughtful, give up mead, practically anything . . . if you hook us just right."

I had just betrayed my gender.

"But I have to warn you," I added. "Once real love takes root, you won't be able to keep it up without telling him you've been doing this. Then, you'll want to find compromises you'll both feel good about. But hopefully, he'll want to be good for you, and you'll want to be good for him . . . and you'll have a life kind of like Astrid and I do. Soulmates can be made, Ruffnut, as well as discovered. I don't want you pining away for me the rest of your life though, okay? I'll help you, but I want you to give Snotlout a chance, alright? Unlike your brother, he's at least willing to try to charm a woman."

"He wouldn't have thought of what you're telling me, though," she sighed as she leaned her head on my shoulder again.

"Well, then there's Fishlegs," I noted.

"Puh-leez!" Ruffnut responded.

"Thought so," I said. "Well, just keep an open mind then . . . or hope someone else just comes to town one day. Just don't shack up with one of these enemy warriors here though . . . you'd be an outcast for sure then."

"You got that right," Ruffnut assured. "Hiccup . . . thanks. I'll think about what you've said. I feel better though — you're a real friend, 'ya know," she said, giving me an appreciative kiss on the cheek.

"Just don't tell the dragon I did that," she whispered.

"Uh, I think he already knows," I said.

Toothless was casting a cold, clear stare with one eye right at me.

"I think you need to say something here . . . to him," I suggested.

"What?" she replied. "Why me?"

"Because he saw you kiss me," I whispered. "But just be honest. Dragons, especially Toothless, can see right through lies. And he might dump you off right here unless you assure him you're not moving in on Astrid with me. I'm hooked into the saddle here . . . but you're not, and he's still looking at us."

"Gee, thanks for putting this load on me!" Ruffnut quietly sighed. "Okay, dragon . . . Toothless," she said, looking at him, "I was just saying thank you to him . . . as a friend. Hiccup's pretty lucky. He has Astrid to love him . . . I know you love him, too . . . and even I love him, okay?"

A shock ran through me when I heard her say that.

"But I know I can't have him," she continued. "So have a little pity for me maybe, huh? Plus I'm about to go into battle here, without anyone thinking warm thoughts about me anywhere. My brother may be dead, and I don't know what the hell I'm living for right now . . . so let's get it on here. Maybe I'll get lucky and get speared tonight . . ."

"Ruffnut, it's okay," I said as I reached an arm back behind her head in a sort of embrace as I could sense her quietly tearing up. Even Toothless now looked back sympathetically at her. "I'm thinking warm thoughts about you, and your future, alright?" I assured. "But you've got to pull yourself together now. We're almost there, and you're the only help I've got besides Toothless."

"Astrid was right," Ruffnut sniffed. "This is a hopeless cause . . . a suicide mission."

"Ruffnut, do you care about me?" I asked directly.

"Y-Yes . . . why?" she asked.

"I want to see my family again . . . see my child born," I said with determination. "But to be honest, I think I could die tonight . . . unless you help me, unless your head's in this thing, right with me. So you tell me — what's the right thing, the really right thing, to do here?"

"Alright," Ruffnut accepted. "I'm in . . . although I don't have a reason to be, other than you. My worthless brother? Forget him! But I'm in . . . for you. So what's the plan?"

"After Toothless blasts Hoark's and Gobber's houses, and draws the guards away from the Dragon Ring," I explained, "I'm going to drop you by the gate levers. You let out Snotlout's Nightmare first, then the men in that order, so the Nightmare can shield or be a distraction for the men. Then you jump down into the ring, let the Gronckle out, and get on either the Nightmare or the Gronckle."

"But I've never ridden them before!" Ruffnut objected.

"They're not bonded with you," I realized. "But I've bonded with all of them though . . . at the very beginning. Let's just hope Snotlout and Fishlegs are in a good enough shape to ride their dragons. You'll have to join one of them. I'd suggest Snotlout."

"Okay," Ruffnut said, almost smiling. "You're really trying to push me with him, aren't you?"

"I'd just get myself in real trouble otherwise, okay?" I said.

"That I can deal with," Ruffnut accepted gladly. "Nice to just know you dig me, too."

"Don't get me started," I sighed with a cautious smile. "But Ruffnut . . . having heard this myself now, every living person deserves to hear this from someone else, at least once in their lives. So even though I do love Astrid more, and I am committed to her . . . Ruffnut, I also love you. It just has to be as a friend though. And for your sake, I wish there were two of me. But I hope, and I believe, there is someone special out there . . . for you."

Ruffnut just gratefully hugged me tightly from behind, and kissed my cheek again, too.

"Dragon, you can let Astrid know I kissed him . . . and tell her how lucky she is. But now, let's rock!" Ruffnut invited, as the nighttime bonfires of Berk were clearly emerging in front of us.

The things I had to do here for battle!

"Get ready to jump," I warned. "Toothless . . . house . . . house," I pointed, leaning forward with my arm next to his eye so he could see clearly which ones I was pointing to. "Attack!"

Toothless rolled and banked downwards.

"Ruffnut, hang on tight until we get to the ring!" I shouted over the growing wind-scream of a Night Fury attack as Toothless brought in his wings.

Toothless fired two blasts in quick succession. I then guided him with leg and hand presses on his neck to level out and rise again as we then turned sharply back towards the Dragon Ring.

_KABOOM! . . . KABOOM!_ the two targeted houses exploded, lighting up the rest of the village, and briefly us, too. Sure enough, the guards were drawn away from around the Dragon Ring.

"Toothless . . . land!" I ordered.

"Here I go!" Ruffnut exclaimed as we briefly touched down next to the ring. "Love you, Hiccup!" she said as she jumped.

Boy was this dangerous now . . . and I'm not talking about the battle here!

"Toothless . . . fly!" I now directed quickly before enemy warriors could begin either hurling spears or arrows, or rushing back towards us.

"Toothless . . . house!" I pointed as he strained, beating his wings hard to regain some altitude and momentum. I hesitated, knowing which house I was now pointing to. I could even see the enemy leader now opening the front door.

"Now . . ." I said.

Toothless let loose another blast. It went straight and true, pushing the leader right back into the house before . . . _KABOOM!_ . . . the whole thing erupted into a massive ball of fire and splinters.

I had just destroyed the house I had grown up in . . .

. . . Or at least the tenth version of it I could remember. It used to be a popular target with the dragons, back when they attacked us.

"Toothless . . . turn . . . there!" I then ordered and pointed as we banked and turned back towards the Dragon Ring.

"Fire . . . go in!" I ordered and pointed. _KABOOM! . . . as we then blasted a hole into it. I ducked as we just squeezed through without us getting scraped by the jagged metal of the ring's fencing. Ruffnut had fought off a lone guard with a well-placed kick, and was now straining again to pull the lever opening the Nighmare's cage by herself._

The door bar finally opened enough for the Nightmare to burst out, erupting immediately into flame, scrambling around the ring.

"RUFFNUT!" I yelled, suddenly seeing a warrior lung for her.

She was knocked down into the ring. Fortunately she rolled her landing, but got grazed by a passing spear.

"You alright?" I yelled as she now stood up near Toothless and I.

"I'm good!" she yelled back.

The village men and the Gronckle were still imprisoned behind their closed cage doors. Above the growing confusion around us, I could just hear the men yelling to get out, but I couldn't get up above the ring to reach the door lever to let out the men at the moment . . . and I knew their door was dragon-proof. I could let the Gronckle out from the ring floor, but an out of control Gronckle would just confuse things more. I had enough to deal with for the moment with the Nightmare. Enemy warriors were now beginning to mass around the ring again however.

"Take Toothless!" I ordered Ruffnut as I now jumped off of him, to Toothless' great surprise. "Just twist the left foot stirrup all the way back and keep it there! That will keep his tailfin extended for flying!"

"Hiccup! No!" Ruffnut yelled. "I can't do what you do here!"

"Do it, NOW!" I yelled back. "Toothless! . . . Fire! . . . Fire!" I directed him from the ground, pointing at the hole we had made to get into the ring.

Thank goodness he then looked at the exit and fired two more blasts on either side of it as Ruffnut vaulted herself onto his neck.

"Toothless . . . GO!" I ordered, pointing to the hole, wanting him out of the ring and back in the air, where he would both be safer, and better able to attack. I knew he would know what to do on his own, and I felt he had accepted Ruffnut enough where he'd allow her to guide him. She might not help him fly perfectly, but at least she could keep him flying. I however needed to get control of that Nightmare, now.

Toothless hesitated for an instant though as I turned back briefly one more time, and we locked eyes with each other.

"Go . . ." I whispered.

With Ruffnut seated on his neck, and his cloth tailfin once again extended . . . he looked forward and took off, as I turned to face the Nightmare and get it to extinguish its body so I could safely climb on and escape back into the air myself.

Spears and arrows began raining down around me now as I tried to calm the Nightmare, but it was still skittish, and flaming. "Easy . . . easy . . ." I tried to reassure it in the midst of battle.

It started getting speared, and erupted a trail of flame towards where the spears had come from. That was useful.

But just as I was about to try and calm it again, so I could even pull the spears out of it — I felt first one, then two incredibly sharp pains . . . one in my left side, and another in my right leg.

I'd been hit with two arrows.

"No . . ." I said with a momentary shock, realizing what this could now mean.

"Astrid . . ." I said reaching for her through the air, summoning her strength . . . her will . . . to me, as she told me she had done during her capture and questioning months ago. I was not going to get stuck here! This was not going to happen! And death? That was _sooo_ not happening!

Feeling something good in me now, I refused to allow myself to fall. I staggered, but stayed up on my foot and leg rig.

I heard and sometimes saw more explosions around us.

"Good boy, Toothless," I quietly praised, hoping he could somehow feel my appreciation for what he was doing. I wished now I hadn't gotten off him. Somehow I felt I wouldn't be getting shot like this if I was still on him . . . he wouldn't have let me.

My efforts with the Nightmare though weren't going as I'd hoped. It was time to skip the patient approach here.

"Dragon . . . calm, now!" I said, staring it right in the eyes.

The flames on its body went out. It was still hot to the touch, but I leaned against it as I staggered to pull out at least the closest of the spears in it.

I was now hit in the back with another arrow.

"NO!" I shouted as I felt myself begin to be almost pulled from my body. My legs gave out from under me as I clung to the dragon's neck near its head.

"Fire!" I pointed ahead of the Nightmare in a sweeping motion at the far wall of the ring. The dragon laid down a trail of fire along the top of the ring that repelled the attacking warriors.

I struggled to remain conscious. I was not letting go of Astrid!

"Help me . . ." I said as the pain became overwhelming.

I looked up in a growing fog as I saw something — but it wasn't Toothless. I had heard that Valkyries came to take fallen warriors on flying horses. If you saw them, you were going.

_Not happening . . ._ I told myself amid the increasingly searing pain within me as I refused to look skyward now.

"Fire . . ." I told the Nightmare I was with again, no longer caring where it aimed.

I felt myself falling to the stone floor of the ring onto my right side, as I saw the Nightmare laying down another stream of fire before us.

_Oh gods . . ._ I allowed myself to think. _I've done it now . . . screwed up again, this time for keeps._ As I stared at the dragon streaming fire next to me in what seemed like slow motion, my head hit the ground. I tried to shake my head no — clinging to even the pain-filled, foggy world around me for the moment.

_Gods I'm so stupid . . ._ I thought to myself. My eyes started to cry for what I knew I was starting to lose. Astrid, my unborn child, Toothless . . . they were losing me now. I was losing them — all because I thought getting control of a skittish, brainless Monstrous Nightmare would give me more of a tactical advantage than Toothless would.

_Hiccup, you idiot! This is how people die in battle,_ I thought_. They get stupid! _Here I was, confronting the prospect of my own death, and this is what I was thinking about.

I felt hands on me now. "Valkyries . . ." I said, trying to shake myself out of these hands. "No . . . can't take me . . . not to Valhalla . . . can't . . . Astrid will kill you . . . kill you all . . . if you do . . . so will I . . ."

"Hiccup . . ." I heard a voice almost echo in my head.

"Nooo!" I said, almost mumbling. They knew my name. They had come for me. I was terrified now. Don't take me away from all I know! I want to stay . . . I've got to stay . . . please . . .

"This valkyrie _is_ Astrid," I now heard the same voice say.

"Whaa . . . ?" I mumbled. Now, confusion took over as I tried to turn my head and look at this hazy, golden angelic form now holding me.

It was wearing a brown headband . . . a leather headband.

"Assstri . . . ?" I asked. Gods, could it be true? Had I now been given the second chance I'd just been pleading for?

"You are _not_ breaking your promise to me, _you hear?_" I heard her echoing voice sniff, fighting off tears.

I now stopped trying to resist the hands of herself and others who were now upon me. Someone placed a folded cloak under my head as a pillow as I continued to lie on my right side. I felt my leg rig being removed.

I wasn't going to ask how Astrid got here — although I was guessing the flying horses I saw were actually Nadders. I almost smiled with relief and weakly laughed now. They were Nadders! And I still didn't much like those dragons!

"The arrows . . ." I heard someone else say. "Let's withdraw them carefully. Have bandages ready."

The hazy red mass of the Nightmare was now replaced by a big black mass that appeared in front of my face.

"Tooth . . . sss . . ." I murmured. The mass now nudged my nose. We were nose to nose this time. I suddenly felt overwhelming gratitude, and love. I reached up a hand to touch the face of this being. I felt a tear under his eye.

"Hiccup . . ." I heard Astrid's voice say as a soothing hand caressed the left side of my face. "We're going to start taking the arrows out here. It's going to hurt. Just hang on to Toothless, okay? He's going to help you get through this. We'll start with your leg first."

Toothless nudged me closer now, placing the tip of his nose just under my chin as I extended both my arms around the top and bottom of his head. He was going to share my pain . . . ride it out with me.

My right leg suddenly felt like it was being stabbed all over again. My hands and arms just gripped Toothless' head tightly.

_I'm here . . ._ I felt Toothless wordlessly convey to me as I held onto him. I loved this dragon now, so much more than before.

Now there was an incredible pain in my left side. I whimpered against him. He silently nudged against me harder. I was just able to move my head on top of his nose as I sensed him now lying down and becoming my pillow himself. I felt his presence through the right side of my face. He was there for me, so there for me.

Oh how I now dreaded the pain that was coming next, from the middle of my back. Fighting the battle I just had suddenly seemed so easy compared to this.

_Toothless . . . help me through this,_ I silently, tearfully thought to him. I heard, even felt, a murmur of understanding, of total support, from him as he seemed to steel himself with me.

The pain came. I softly cried out in agony as I gripped and embraced Toothless, hard.

Everything faded to black . . .

— — — — —

"Hiccup . . . Hiccup . . . my love," I heard.

I had trouble responding.

"Here, let me try this approach," I heard the female voice, a very familiar one, warmly suggest.

I felt a warm presence slide in next to me. I weakly grabbed onto it, as it grabbed onto me as well.

"Knew that would get your attention," the voice said.

"Astrii . . ." I sighed. "Hhomme . . ."

"Well, not quite," she said as I began to open my eyes, and find my head resting against Astrid's shoulder . . . in a bed. But the quilts were different.

"We're in Berk — in my mother's house," Astrid gently explained. "You lost some blood, but the arrows didn't hit anything vital in you. We won, my love. The hits you and Toothless made took out most of the enemy forces right at the start. You just got arrowed by the remainder, who quickly surrendered when we had them surrounded . . . with just three dragons, and a number of angry women. The Dragon Ring was not exactly a smart place to be fighting these guys from, however."

"How . . . How the Nadders?" I asked, still not quite coherent.

"Shhhh . . ." she assured as she cradled me in her arms upon hearing the way I talked. "I started calling for Needles soon after you and Ruffnut left. Ruffnut explained everything that happened between you two by the way, taking full responsibility. I almost slugged her at first — and she was actually ready to take it. That stopped me, as I realized she wouldn't have told me about it all unless she really cared about you and I. Plus she's right . . . you are the best guy around, and you can be hard now not to fall for. I trust you, Hiccup — I'm actually glad now you shared with her what she says you did. I know I wouldn't want to go to my grave without someone having said they loved me . . . even as a friend. You're good," she said, kissing my forehead, "and I'm lucky . . . very lucky."

After almost fearing I might get slugged myself there for a second, I was now just pleasantly lulled lying against Astrid's warm shoulder, her soothing voice resonating through her body to my ear.

"But anyway," Astrid continued, "darn if Needles didn't come when called this time. She must have been en route back to me — or mentally 'in tune' with me, the way Toothless seems to be with you. She even brought an apparent boyfriend Nadder she seems stuck on. So, a bit of charming him, and then really spurring them on to catch up with you, and my mother and I were able to come right here . . . and finished the job you started. Toothless quickly led us to you, and we were removing the arrows and binding up your wounds as you blacked out."

"For a moment," she teared up, " . . . for a horrible moment, I thought we killed you when we removed that arrow from your back. But thank gods I could still feel your heart beating, and you breathing."

"Astrid . . ." I sighed against her, wanting to comfort her now as I weakly caressed my hand across her.

She just cradled me tightly and briefly cried with relief. I tried to hold her closer, too, tearing up a little.

"I'm okay," she then sniffed, kissing me on the forehead. "You doing okay now?"

"Father . . ." I said, now remembering for some reason the other half of the challenge here I had yet to face. "Must save him."

"That will come soon enough, my love," Astrid advised gently. "For now, enjoy sweet rest, right in my arms, okay? I'm not going anywhere. But first, could you sit up for me a little, and drink some tea."

"Okay . . ." I sighed, struggling to sit up, with Astrid helping me up with an arm underneath.

"Here . . ." she gently said as she offered me the warm tea. "Easy . . ." she soothed as I put my hand over hers on the cup as I drank from it. My throat was dry — the tea felt good. But Astrid, gods she felt nice to rest against!

My left hand fell off the cup and across her as I finished. She just lay back down with me still against her shoulder.

"Rest now," Astrid soothed as she cradled and kissed me some more. "Just one thing though, okay?" she asked. "Next time, stay on Toothless during the battle. Right, boy?"

Toothless now nudged me from behind. I began remembering what he had done for me on the stone floor of that ring. I reached back to stroke Toothless' head. He deserved so much more from me than that little bit of touching I was able to give him. He moved his head closer though, raising my arm up upon it to make it easier for me. I wished I could turn to embrace him, but I just couldn't do it right then.

"Had to get control of Nightmare," I tried to explain to Astrid in a whisper. "More effective at repelling attackers with fire trails . . . sorry . . ."

"You did alright this time," I heard and felt Astrid smile through her warm shoulder. "Just don't let it happen again, okay? Toothless is your dragon. He was really worried about you. He hasn't left your side since we found you . . . isn't that right, boy?"

Toothless gently grunted a definite yes as he nudged me again — right in my back.

"Oww!" I said. That woke me up.

"Easy, Toothless," Astrid cautioned. "No more nudging for now, please? Hiccup loves you, he does. And he's okay. Lay down for us would you? Right where you are. You can keep an eye on us, but we're all gonna rest, alright?"

I could hear Toothless circling around the floor next to our bed as he usually did, before hearing the characteristic thud indicating he had lain down. And of course, there was the big, deep sigh after that.

"I am so glad to have you back," Astrid tearfully added in a whisper as she gave me another gentle embrace and kiss on the forehead.

"Sorry, Astrid," I whispered, " . . . really stupid mistake."

"You want me to forgive you?" she asked.

"Yesss . . ." I whispered practically crying with regret at what I had almost lost, almost cost us.

"Shhhhhh . . ." she soothed as she cradled me against her. "It's alright, Hiccup . . . it's alright. I forgive you . . ."

I cried as she said that.

"I forgive you . . . completely, okay?" she so warmly assured. "You did the best you knew how. You put another's safety, even your best friend's safety, ahead of your own. That makes you a pretty special guy, you know that?"

I couldn't answer her.

"You're safe . . . in my arms now, alright?" she soothed me as she turned and blew out the candle near us. "You're totally safe, and forgiven, and loved. Just rest now . . . just rest."

For a moment as I remembered it all, I had a hard time believing I was actually safe in bed with Astrid again. I was almost dead on the ring floor, and now I was resting in a bed with my wife like nothing happened, except for some bandages wrapped around me, and some aches and pains.

My free hand reached around. Yes, there was her other shoulder again . . . the mattress . . . the quilt . . . her arm . . . her hand now taking hold of mine. I was now tearfully shaking my head in confusion.

"It's alright," I heard and felt Astrid soothe. "It's really over . . . and you're really here . . . with me, and with Toothless."

Now, finding myself more able to turn, I reached out blindly in the darkness. I cried as I felt his head. He even turned and gently blew, re-lighting the candle so I could see him.

"Toothless . . ." I sobbed. It was really him — looking back at me with his big, understanding eyes.

I now looked up at the ceiling trying to comprehend and grasp it all.

"Don't," I heard Astrid say gently to me as she stroked my head while I lay against her shoulder. "Don't try and understand it . . . why you're here now. It's a gift, like life is. Just accept it, accept Toothless, and accept me, okay? Let's get some sleep now, so you can heal."

I slowly rolled myself back against Astrid as she leaned over me and blew out the candle again. I reached back and gave Toothless a final stroke on the head. "Rest . . . bud," I whispered. "Don't sit up all night . . . for me."

I was able to smile as I heard him lay down, while his laying head on the edge of the bed and keeping it under my hand.

What had I done to deserve him, or Astrid? Nothing. My wife was right again. I just had to accept that they were gifts to me. I hoped I could be as much to them.

"I love you, Hiccup," Astrid whispered to me, "and I'm glad . . . so glad I get to rest with you now."

"Thank you . . ." I whispered as I faded out again against her shoulder. "Thank you both . . ."


	13. Chapter 13

I woke up, feeling the need to use the latrine. Astrid had once boasted to me that her family's house contained the first indoor one in the village, something I had soon copied and added onto one side of our house at the cove. So as both Astrid, and Toothless near us, seemed sound asleep in her family's house now, I didn't feel the need to wake and ask either of them to help me. Even though I was feeling stabbing pains getting up, I quietly reached for my leg rig, which was fortunately on my side of the bed, fastening just one strap.

I looked around. _Darn,_ I thought as I saw a tunic laid out on a chair for me, just beyond Astrid's side of the bed. While I was dressed in nothing but a few bandages at the moment, I couldn't see anyone one else up and around. I didn't even know what time of the morning it was. So I thought why not just make it quickly across her family's house and back without needing to disturb her? While I knew Toothless would be watching any move I made, Astrid had done more than enough for me. She deserved some more sleep.

Despite the annoying squeaking of my leg rig, and the pains of my wounds, I made it across the house to the latrine. As I was creeping back towards bed a moment later feeling home free, I suddenly heard, "Glad to see you're up and about."

I suddenly felt stupid all over again.

"Ingrid," I said sheepishly, looking behind me. If there was a moment where I actually wouldn't have minded being dead, this was it.

"It's perfectly alright," Ingrid smiled, trying to put me at ease, and offering me a sheepskin. "Can I talk with you a moment?" she asked.

"Like this?" I responded, wrapping the sheepskin around me.

"Astrid's right — you never have shared a home with extended family, have you?" Ingrid smiled.

"That got around, eh? Okay," I sighed, " . . . go ahead."

I was caught, seen, and now being casually talked with like I was. My embarrassment was complete. What the heck!

"Astrid and I both thought you'd be safe enough on your dragon," she noted. "So why did you get off him?"

_Ohh that,_ I thought. _Well, let's review more of my stupidity . . . in detail._

"Because I needed to get the Nightmare in the ring under control quickly, and Ruffnut had never bonded with him," I explained. "That Nightmare and its fire trails could have been much more effective in repelling attackers than Toothless' more concentrated blasts would be."

"Were there other ways of accomplishing what you wanted to there?" she asked.

"I suppose so," I responded. "But why?"

"Hiccup, when you're married, every decision you make should be influenced by what it could mean to your family," Ingrid cautioned. "Whether you do this, or avoid doing that — any mistake you make might not just take you out, but could rob a child of their father, or the wife you love of her husband. You have to protect your family, yes. But you also have an obligation now to better protect yourself, and be careful enough; doing some things differently, so you can be around for them. I only tell you this, because I wish it was something that I had told my husband before he left on his last voyage. I know you will want to go and rescue your father now, but just don't allow your child to lose its father in the process. That's all I ask. Know though that I want to see your father rescued, too."

"Thank you," I said, looking down a little.

"Hiccup . . ." I heard a voice say behind me, "here's a robe for you, my love." My wife smiled as she put it around me.

"Astrid, I'm sorry I took a gamble last night . . . getting off Toothless," I apologized, turning to her as she tied its sash for me.

"It's okay. I already forgave you as you went to sleep, remember?" she warmly assured, now kissing me. "Besides, I don't think he'll let you get off him next time, after he saw what happened to you last night," she added, looking back at Toothless, who was casually watching both of us.

I wanted to ask her whether she thought I should go rescue my father, and whether she should join me. But having just been through battle, I just didn't want to see my pregnant wife in that situation anymore, especially in a far more hostile fortress city. Father versus wife — I didn't know what I should do now, where my loyalties really lay. I just didn't want to deal with it all at the moment. For some reason, I didn't want to deal with anything right now.

"I need to think," I sighed. "Maybe even pray."

"Care for some company in that?" my wife suggested.

I hesitated for a moment. Astrid was part of my dilemma. I wanted a break from that right now. I couldn't just tell her to go away though . . . half of me didn't want her to. But at the same time . . .

"Just give me a moment," I said. I started to hobble away as she let me go.

I suddenly felt so empty though. I stopped. I was stuck, and just looked down in silence now.

"Having trouble making up our minds this morning?" Astrid asked as she gently came over beside me.

I could only sigh as I barely looked at her.

"Something's not right, isn't it?" she deduced, leaning next to me and rubbing her hand over my heart. "Would you like to talk about it over hot tea and a warm bath? Mom, is the tub ready?" Astrid asked, turning to her.

"All ready for you, dear," Ingrid replied, "just as you asked for last night."

"Astrid!" I objected. "Here?"

"We need to clean your wounds again and change your bandages anyway. And don't worry, we're alone. Everyone else is out working right now. Even my mother was going out on errands, weren't you, Mom? Plus it's where we do our best thinking and talking together," she explained. "Don't ask me why. I certainly didn't take this many baths before I married you."

"Surrender," Ingrid smiled. "It's just easier."

"I know," I sighed. I looked at my wife, as she patiently looked back at me.

"We don't have to do the bath though, if you don't want to," she offered.

I looked at her. I then hugged her tightly for a moment as I buried my nose in her hair, breathing it in deeply. She just patiently stood there, holding me.

"It's okay . . ." she assured me again.

I held her a moment longer.

"Let's have the bath," I finally said, almost crying. Astrid just led me off to her family's tub with a smile and one arm around me, while putting her other hand back on my chest. I took that hand of hers into mine as we walked. We just clenched them together into a shared fist, right over my heart.

I loved this woman.

— — — — —

Soon, my bandages were off and I was soaking in another tub, with Astrid, and even a morning tea in my hand.

"Okay, your wounds are already beginning to heal nicely here," Astrid noted as she settled in with me holding her own tea. "A warrior's reward, huh?" Astrid smiled as she now curled up sideways against me.

"Astrid," I sighed, "things are just a mess . . ."

"Why?" she gently asked as she took a sip of her own tea. "We won. You won last night."

I realized that if I didn't just say what I was feeling right now, I'd have to put a wall up against my loving wife. I didn't want to do that to her — I couldn't.

"I feel like I would have died last night," I just admitted, " . . . that I was rescued from my own stupidity."

I looked down, almost inviting her to condemn me, like I was.

"Oh, I see," my wife patiently replied as she extended a wet arm around my shoulder. "Can't forgive yourself . . . and can't trust yourself either. Plus, no confidence left, and no faith. Am I right?"

"Yeah, that's pretty much it," I said quietly, still looking away from her.

"Come here . . ." Astrid invited as she set her mug of tea down on a chair behind her, then softly put a hand to my face and guided my lips towards hers.

For some reason, it was so difficult to kiss her right now. I wanted to break away from her . . . but I couldn't do that to her, either.

"Not working, huh?" Astrid sensed as she moved back slightly and looked at me. "You are in hell this morning."

"You've nailed it . . ." I sighed, looking down again.

"I've been there," she replied, just nudging against me. "I have been where you are, Hiccup . . . and if you'd let me, I'm willing to be there with you, right now."

I looked at her. I just looked at her, as she looked at me. Astrid wasn't going to leave me alone even in my feeling stupid about myself. All I had to do was let her inside. That's all she was asking.

"But I screwed up . . . again," I sighed, almost tearfully.

"So? You did," she acknowledged. "So has Snotlout, so has the rest of the village, so has Gobber, my mother, even your father. I have screwed up at times, too, Hiccup."

"The rest of us lost this village," she added, "but you got it back for us last night. If that's a screw up, it's one I'm very proud of . . . so proud of, for you, Hiccup."

Something had broken through. She had. I was able to embrace her again, and mean it.

"I am so grateful for you," I sniffed as I brought my forehead to hers.

"I love you, too . . ." she soothed me as she held me.

"The battle happened so fast last night," I said.

"They tend to do that," my wife replied, looking at me.

"Astrid . . . thank you," I simply said, smiling at last as I brought her to me and embraced her again.

"You're welcome. Just keep doing . . . this," she said, looking warmly into my eyes and placing her hand again on my heart, "and we'll be good."

"You keep doing . . . this . . . too, okay?" I asked, looking warmly at her as I held all of her.

"I promise," she affirmed as we kissed.

Ohh man, what a good, gentle, soulful kiss! I felt good now. I slid us both a little lower in the tub as we kissed.

"Warrior's reward, eh?" I asked with a smile. "With nobody else around . . ."

"Uh huh," Astrid softly confirmed with delight, smiling as we kissed again, until . . .

"Hey, Hiccup! Astrid!" we now both heard a male voice call out, entering the house.

That made us both nervously shift our eyes while we were kissing. Yep . . . it was who we thought we heard.

"Whoa! We're takin' baths kinda early now, aren't we?" Snotlout said as he stepped up near us, with Ruffnut beside him.

Astrid and I broke off our kiss, briefly bringing our foreheads together as we both closed our eyes and sighed. At least sharing that reaction together made us smile for a moment. But then I remembered where . . . and how . . . I was.

"Snotlout! Ruffnut!" I exclaimed, now instinctively bringing Astrid closer to me to cover myself up . . . with her, as she looked at me in surprise.

"Don't worry about it," Snotlout dismissed. "Heck, I've been soaking with most of the village in some hot springs a ways from here since I was little. Sorry we never invited you. We just thought you were a dork."

"Thanks . . ." I sighed, looking away.

"Snotlout, be nicer to Hiccup, okay?" Ruffnut said soothingly to him.

"Okay, Ruff-girl," Snotlout now agreed, before turning back to me. "Uh, sorry, Hiccup."

"Very good," Ruffnut praised, giving him a kiss on the cheek.

Astrid gave me a loving kiss of her own. "I'm sorry I ever went along with any of that," she apologized.

"Can we go back to the cove after this is over?" I asked her. "I'm just trapped by my past here, everywhere I turn."

"No can do . . . Chief," Snotlout replied.

"Excuse me?" I said, wondering if I just heard what I thought I did.

"While you've been laid up here, and because you took back the village last night, the villagers have elected you Chief this morning in your father's place," Snotlout reported. "I ran against you, along with a couple other guys . . . but they elected you, even in your absence. Go figure, eh?"

"Snotlout, what did I just ask?" Ruffnut gently reminded him.

"Sorry again," Snotlout sighed. "But he's . . ."

"A hero, and our chief now — got that?" Ruffnut said, striving to maintain her soothing disposition. "And you can be my . . . hero . . . okay?" she haltingly added. Poor Ruffnut was _really_ trying.

"_All-riiighht!"_ Snotlout sighed before turning back to me. "So anyhow, I volunteered to come tell you. They're ready to convene another meeting in the Mead Hall whenever you are . . . Chief," he said, looking to Ruffnut for approval. Ruffnut just smiled weakly at him.

I just shook my head in stunned disbelief at the news though, looking down. "You have _got_ to be kidding me," I sighed.

"Uhh, could you both excuse us?" Astrid requested, looking at me with concern.

"You go ahead, Snotlout," Ruffnut excused. "I'll be right behind you in a minute."

"Uh, okay . . ." Snotlout said uncertainly as he turned and left.

Ruffnut waited until he was out of earshot, before quietly saying, "Hiccup, thanks for the advice you gave me. But as much as it's actually _working_ on Snotlout — I can't stand him! I just want to be solo for now. I still have to put up with my idiot brother and keep him out of trouble anyway! You know, and this is really sad, but you're like the only guy our age in this village who's not an idiot. Astrid's just so lucky she got to you first."

"Thanks, Ruffnut . . . I think," Astrid said, with her arms still around me in the tub.

I didn't _dare_ say a thing about that, except, "Well, you'd probably better be honest with Snotlout then, and say that while you gave it a try . . . that he deserves someone who loves him, but that it's just not you. Let him down easy that way."

"See, there you go!" Ruffnut sighed throwing her hands in the air. "You're the only guy here who could come up with something like that. No wonder every dragon likes you! Geez!" she said turning to leave now. "Maybe I should go way down south and become a nun!"

"Stick around here, and help me rescue my dad first, okay?" I asked loudly as she left.

"You got it, Hiccup!" Ruffnut assured as she went out the door.

"Boy, I really do feel sorry for her now," Astrid remarked as we watched Ruffnut leave the house.

"With all this kind of stuff, and my past, I don't want to stay here, Astrid," I sighed with distress. "I just want to rescue my dad and go back to our cove. Berk has never liked me, and I've never liked it."

"But they just elected you chief," my wife observed.

"All the more reason to get busy and rescue my dad!" I replied. "The job's his. And he can have it back, A.S.A.P.!"

"Calm down," Astrid advised, adding a gentle kiss to soothe me.

"Everything was so simple at the cove," I said.

"I know," my wife agreed. "We had that time together, and it's made us better than we ever could have become otherwise. But people need us here now, Hiccup."

"I don't even do well with shared villages anymore, let alone shared housing," I sighed.

I now felt I needed a walk . . . alone. I began to get up out of the tub.

Astrid once again clamped her arms around me. "Sorry," she said, looking at me as I sat back down again. "You have responsibilities now," she reminded me, "to your village, your people, to your family, even to me. I know it's a pain. I do. I just hope I'm not a pain . . . to you."

"Astrid . . . I'm sorry, very sorry, if you ever thought you were," I said, giving her a kiss now.

Astrid gently smiled. "Just stick together with me, and it'll all be good," she assured. "No hiding or sulking off by yourself, okay? You feel screwed up, overwhelmed, or hopeless . . . you tell me and we talk, openly. Deal?"

"Deal," I accepted.

"This is what makes you the strongest, the smartest, and the most desirable guy in town — you know that?" my wife said, surprising me. "Snotlout wouldn't be able to do what you are right now. Even Ruffnut can see that. That's why she's dumping him."

"Maybe I'd better have a talk with him sometime," I offhandedly suggested.

"You educate guys here . . . the way you train dragons?" Astrid openly marveled. "And every woman in this village will think you're a god!"

"Like I need that," I was able to smile.

"Hey, it's better than being derided as an accident prone screw-up," she quipped before realizing, " . . . sorry, I should not have said that. Forgive me, please?"

"I'm getting used to it again," I said, still holding a smile, and still holding onto her. "I forgive you . . . and I love you, Astrid."

"I love you, too . . . Chief," she said warmly.

"You're happy as a clam with that now, aren't you?" I teased her.

"Well . . ." she said looking away, knowing that I had her pegged!

I laughed. I now felt good, and was able to accept it all . . . anything that came my way in this village — from being reminded of my past, to being caught without a tunic, romancing my wife, in a tub! _Bring it on!_ I was now able to say to the world.

I held my wife tightly, rocking her with joy. She looked at me for a moment.

"No one else, Astrid," I said, "could do for me what you are."

"You got that right," she smiled as we kissed one more time. Then she just looked at me and sighed.

"What?" I asked.

"Well, do I get you dressed now and give our village their new chief, and we get busy making preparations to go rescue your father?" she asked. "Or do I give a hero warrior the reward he richly deserves?"

"Life's short," I replied as I brought her to me again. "I'll take the reward first."

"Uh huh . . ." Astrid replied, as we just picked up where we had left off, before we were interrupted.

— — — — —

"Everyone!" I now said, getting their attention. "I want to thank you for your confidence in me, in electing me Chief!"

I could _not_ believe I was saying this! Everyone else cheered though. I had reluctantly agreed, at Astrid's urging, to wear a chief's cloak and badges — but I refused to wear a horned helmet. I was still gonna be me now, and they were gonna accept it!

"Our objective . . ." Astrid whispered, standing next to me, trying to coach me.

"Got it," I assured, whispering back.

"Our objective now," I continued, "is not to simply repel those who attack us, but to convince them it's not worth attacking us in the first place!"

A really loud cheer erupted throughout the hall over that.

"We do that, by attacking the fortress city of Stormgolt, and rescuing my father!" I said boldly.

Things suddenly got pretty quiet. I pursed my lips and looked around, starting to feel like my old self around here, real fast.

"Do you all want to go through again what you've just been through?" Astrid now just yelled in frustration at the silent crowd.

I just let her run with it, as I looked at her in amazement next to me.

"Yes? No? I can't hear you!" she said emphatically.

Everyone kind of looked at their boots.

"Because if the answer is 'yes', then Hiccup and I might as well pack up and go back to our cove!" she continued. "'Cause we were a whole lot happier there all by ourselves! You want peace? You want prosperity, and respect? Then you're gonna have to fight for it . . . but only once, if we do this thing right."

"Your turn," she now whispered, still looking at the crowd, not wanting it to look like she was the one in charge.

"Stormgolt is built to repel ships, even armies," I said. "But it is not built to repel dragons! That is how we will fight them!"

The crowd began cheering again — in no small part as many of them now realized they would not be going, as they would have been if we were using ships.

"We will conquer them once — show them their defenses can be penetrated," I continued once the cheering had died down. "We will negotiate peace, even trade. Then we will live in peace, and with respect . . . here, in Berk!"

That wow'ed 'em. The crowd cheered wildly, even mobbing Astrid and I with admiration and support now. She and I held each held an arm around the other tightly to avoid being drawn apart by our new well-wishers.

"You're too important now for this next bit," Astrid advised me, before loudly calling out, "Okay, dragon riders, and those who want to become dragon riders, line up over here! We have to go get more dragons!"

"You guys are awesome!" Ruffnut admired, being the first to stand in line.

Astrid embraced Ruffnut. "Don't be a nun," my wife warmly asked her. "Someone good will happen around here for you. We'll help, okay? And, Ruffnut, there's no one I trust more around my husband, than you."

That just floored me.

"Guys, I love you both," Ruffnut tearfully said. "But just don't put me on another Zippleback with my brother again. I'm getting a separate dragon this time, okay?"

"You got it!" Astrid and I both said together.

"But could you ride with Snotlout on his Nightmare as we go to get more dragons from their island?" I asked.

"Can do," Ruffnut assured. "Haven't told him I'm ready to dump him yet anyway. I may give him another chance. You guys get ready to go. I'll handle our group and have 'em ready. Go, take a break!"

"Thanks," my wife and I said together again, shrugging to each other.

"Hey, bro!" Ruffnut now called out to her twin as Astrid and I left through the crowd. "Yeah, you useless! Get over here and help out!"

"What's with . . ." I began to ask Astrid, subtly motioning between her and Ruffnut as we walked.

"Call it 'marital insurance' . . . combined with reverse tactics, and actual friendship," she quietly explained as we stepped out of the hall. "There's nothing like embracing and extending trust to a rival, to ensure that they become trustworthy. I also do feel for her . . . and besides, look at what she's doing for us now. You ready to go get some more dragons?"

"Yeah," I sighed. "But we'll likely need more than one Night Fury to shatter those stone towers and walls of that fortress."

"You did make short work of demolishing that one bonfire tower in the harbour, once," Astrid remembered.

"Yep," I said, feeling a little uncomfortable at being reminded of that.

"Oh sorry," she winced.

"I'm okay," I assured, "but the towers at Stormgolt are likely stronger than that. I want at least a second Night Fury."

"Then we'll find another," my wife assured.

"But taming and training it," I noted. "They're smart, independent. If Toothless didn't need me to—"

"He would still work with you, and even be your friend, Hiccup," Astrid assured, "because he's chosen to. You've chosen to need him, too. You have a way with dragons. Just remember that, and just stay on him this next time. You fight way better together, than apart. Just like you fly and move together. Same goes for you and I, too."

There went my guilty conscience. I'd tell her at the right time though.

— — — — —

Soon, we were flying to the dragons' home island. While some dragons had chosen to join us in Berk — and sadly, a number of those had been lost now — many more dragons had chosen to stay on their island. We had to win at least some of them over, and we didn't have much time if we were going to rescue my father.

Astrid, her mother, Snotlout and I were each carrying additional riders with us on our dragons. I just didn't have the heart to ask Fishlegs' Gronckle carry anyone else besides him. "Gronckles are one-Viking dragons," I told Fishlegs. At least they were in his case.

Snotlout was taking Ruffnut with him — reluctantly on her part, although she was hiding it well — and I was taking her brother. Toothless didn't seem to have as much objection to a guy riding with me; and while Astrid could seem to extend trust to Ruffnut around me, I just couldn't come to feel good about Tuffnut riding with my wife on her Nadder . . . especially for her sake!

I had also dispatched a ship with more dragon rider recruits onboard to join us, guided by one of the navigators who had accompanied my father to the island before, who was himself aided by a Terrible Terror dragon perched on his shoulder.

"Okay," I instructed as the island was in sight now. "We meet them on neutral ground, not inside their cave home. Toothless . . . beach . . . land!"

We all landed on the same beach where Toothless and I, and most of the village, had fought the giant Red Death dragon. Even though we knew that thing was gone, the place still didn't have a good feel about it.

We heard the chatter, even collective buzz, of dragons hidden all around us. I stepped forward on the beach, shedding my cloak, and my knife. I beckoned Toothless to join me. We both looked up and around us as Astrid and the others dismounted from their dragons as well.

"Here's the basket of fish you asked for," Fishlegs said, dropping it next to me. Even though he hadn't brought a passenger, I still had him and his Gronckle carry something.

I picked two fish out of the basket. I fed one to Toothless, while he still looked guardedly around us . . . and held the other one out as a peace gesture to the dragons, an invitation. I suppose you could say it was even a lure of sorts.

_Peace . . ._ I thought. _Come to me_ _. . . to us._

Slowly, dragons began emerging from among the rocks and crags around us . . . little Terrors first, as they were typically the hungriest, and lowest in the dragon pecking order. Then came the fairly docile Gronckles, followed by the Nadders, the Zipplebacks, and the ones I wanted, the Nightmares.

I began scattering fish from the large basket for all of them, and gesturing for new riders, and others needing a dragon, to come forward and begin feeding, and bonding with, the dragon of their choice.

"Why don't you go for a Nightmare?" I quietly suggested to Ruffnut as she passed near me.

"You got it," she smiled.

I almost hated to use my 'influence' with her in that way, but I wanted more Nightmares than anything else in our force. While they weren't as reliable as Toothless, they did spread fire around better than any other dragon species.

But I wasn't seeing the one type of dragon I really wanted to see . . . another Night Fury. They seemed to be so rare, I'd be satisfied if I saw even just one more of them.

I was proud of Toothless, though. He wasn't snarling at the other dragons, and he wasn't jealously hoarding the fish basket. Feeding him generously before we left had probably helped. He was just calmly, determinedly looking at them. He was proudly a chief's dragon now, and he played the role well.

But then he looked up and to one side, and kept looking there.

I traced his steady gaze up to a rocky outcropping . . . another Night Fury!

I couldn't tell whether it was male or female — but Toothless began strangely almost purring, and looking pretty interested in it.

"A girl Fury, huh buddy?" I asked.

Toothless did not break his gaze with the other Night Fury, which was now looking at him. Very cautiously, the other Fury descended from its rock, almost the way Toothless originally had with me. It . . . okay, she . . . looked at me a little, but kept looking at Toothless far more.

Astrid and I exchanged glances.

"I want that dragon," I quietly told her across a few yards. "I want you to bond with it."

"But my Nadder," she objected in a hushed tone.

"We need that Night Fury in this battle," I gently insisted. "Your Nadder can't do much against stone. Besides, she'll follow you if you ride on another dragon. Snotlout's just using your headband to lead her to the cove battle proved that."

"Alright," she sighed, knowing what to do now.

Telling her Nadder to stay, Astrid came up beside me and took a fish from the basket for the Night Fury. Then, with the fish in one hand, no weapon on her, and holding the other hand open, Astrid calmly approached the Night Fury. Most everyone else stopped to watch.

The Fury snarled and then jumped up on a nearby rock. Toothless now gently roared to her. It turned out to be an invitation, perhaps even a plea . . . because the Night Fury came back down, creeping right towards Toothless next to me now.

Astrid moved in between Toothless and the other Night Fury, still holding the fish. The Fury snarled again, and motioned with her head for Astrid to move out of the way. My wife complied. The other Night Fury calmed down and began moving towards Toothless again. Astrid then made a move back in the way once more, and sure enough the Fury stopped and snarled, motioning even more forcefully with her head for Astrid to get out of the way.

"I don't think this one wants to be friends with me," my wife noted, stepping back again. "She doesn't even seem interested in the fish — just in Toothless."

"Oh boy," I sighed. I wondered now if I was going to perhaps lose control of Toothless, maybe lose him to this female Night Fury. I mused to myself for a moment, wondering if Toothless had ever thought he might lose me to Astrid.

"Let them bond," Astrid suggested. "Toothless is loyal to us. If he can win her interest, even loyalty — maybe that's all it might take to convince her to join him, and fight without a rider . . . with us."

"Toothless," I reluctantly decided, turning to him, " . . . I trust you. Get her to help us, if you can. At least go ahead and say hello to her, buddy," I said, gesturing with a hand towards her. "You don't get a chance like this every day."

Toothless looked at me for a second. I could swear there was a tear in his eye, along with the gentle smile he was now showing.

He now turned and looked at the other Fury, and slowly moved towards her. This female Night Fury remained cautious, but interested. Toothless was careful, but confident as he approached her.

Astrid fed her own Nadder the fish she was holding, as a reward, and then she came to my side as we put an arm around each other and watched.

The two Furies now slowly circled each other. The female Night Fury noticed Toothless' saddle and tail rig. She moved in to sniff them curiously, while Toothless stopped and allowed her to do so. She then looked at him, emitting a brief, soft roar . . . seeming to ask why that gear was on him. Toothless gave a brief roar back and motioned with his head towards me, looking at me briefly. My dragon then turned himself back towards me, moving his head with a grunt, as he began to walk back towards me.

"He's doing exactly as you asked," Astrid marveled in my ear. "He's leading her back towards you."

The female Fury didn't follow though, choosing to remain where she was. Toothless turned around and returned to her, now slowly nudging his nose against hers for the first time. They both closed their eyes doing that.

But then he broke off and turned back towards me again, grunting and inviting her with him. The female Fury began moving with him this time, but more cautiously. Soon, Toothless was in front of me, looking back at her occasionally to make sure she was coming with him.

Then he closed his eyes and nudged his nose against me, almost in the same way he had with her.

I was awed at that . . . that he would make the same gesture of trust, affinity, whatever with me . . . and had been doing that for as long as he and I had known each other, as he had just done with her.

He had just showed me that his loyalty, his friendship, his bond with me, was as strong as it would ever be with any of his own kind. And he was inviting this female Night Fury to join in that bond, with us.

I now extended my hand, with tears in my eyes, as he now nudged against it. He then looked at the other Fury, who was surely confused by this behaviour. He just turned back towards me and nudged my hand again, then looking back at her, even tilting his head a little in invitation.

The female Night Fury then looked at me. Toothless gestured with a grunt and quick tilting of his head again. It took a while longer of the same behaviour . . . the looking back, grunting and tilting of his head, patiently repeated again and again . . . but finally, the female Fury was right in front of Astrid and I, and right next to Toothless.

I very cautiously extended my hand towards her. She initially snarled a little, like Toothless had once done the first time I had tried to touch him. But Toothless snarled right back at her, letting her know that such behaviour was not okay . . . not with his trusted human.

A little chastened, the female Fury now closed her eyes and carefully extended her nose towards my outstretched hand. We made contact, and I felt a strange sense of peace, a presence, even a being, through my hand now as I touched her.

Toothless gave a look of approval and satisfaction before he, too closed his eyes, nudging against Astrid, myself, and the female Night Fury, all at the same time.

Astrid just tearfully leaned against me as she gently laid a hand on Toothless.

"My love," she sniffed, " . . . we have to help him here."

"I know," I whispered to her, as I kissed her ear as well.

We were part of a sacred moment, all four of us. And we each knew it.

That day, I fully realized that Toothless was not just an animal. He was an intelligent, self-aware, feeling being — one who could have the same emotions, awarenesses, even desires that I did. This was now about more than just getting a second Night Fury into the fight. It was about him and me together, helping to connect his world with mine.

I hoped we would be successful, on both scores. But I wasn't sure.


	14. Chapter 14

The four of us . . . two dragons and two humans . . . must have remained communing, experiencing that shared bond for moments, until our ship arrived with the rest of the recruits.

Fury, as I was coming to think of the female Night Fury as, for lack of a better name, was briefly scared away by the beaching of the ship.

"Hold!" I said to those on the ship, while we attempted to win back Fury's trust. Slowly, she returned to Toothless' side as he patiently looked at her.

"Let's leave them be here, and move the rest of us down the beach some," Astrid suggested.

"Everyone," I quietly said and carefully gestured, " . . . set up camp down that way."

We even slowly pushed the ship back into the water and towed it further down the beach.

As everyone else set up camp, Astrid and I just paused to watch as Toothless and Fury proceeded to become better acquainted in their own now more private section of beach.

"How are you feeling about this?" Astrid asked as she passed me a jug of water.

"Amazed . . . awed," I had to say.

"It'll soon be time to practice flying together," she suggested.

"That will be the real test," I noted, "to see if Fury flies with us. If she does that, and if she fires with Toothless . . . she'll fight with us."

"Fury, huh?" Astrid mused as she chewed on a piece of bread. "Simple, but it fits. Here, have some bread."

"Thanks," I said as I watched with curiosity as Toothless, while remaining near her, was seeming to ignore, even resist, some of Fury's advances. I didn't know what to make of that.

— — — — —

Our group spent the rest of the day on that beach winning the confidence of the dragons who had decided to approach us, and helping everyone learn how to fly together. Once everyone was paired up with a dragon, Astrid and I went among them, handing out neck ropes to those who needed them.

Tuffnut stopped us at one point. "While my sister over there gets a Nightmare," he complained, "this Nadder won't leave me alone here. Whadda I do?"

"Go with the Nadder," I suggested. "Unfortunately, it will follow you around now anyway. But hopefully you'll get winters off."

It was all Astrid could do to keep from cracking up beside me.

Then we found Fishlegs with a Zippleback. "Better power to weight ratio," he explained.

I was not about to disagree with him.

While I wish I had time to make saddles, especially for the Nadder riders, that would just have to wait.

"I'll be fine without a saddle still . . . trust me!" Astrid had to assure me a short time later, given what had once happened to her with Needles. "But I will be training the other Nadder riders a bit about that here as we fly. Speaking of which, it's time to call Toothless, and see if Fury will come, too."

"Okay," I sighed. " . . . here goes. Toothless, time to fly!" I called to him.

I smiled as he got up from lounging with Fury, and started coming right to me. I could see her hesitating though, holding back. Toothless at first looked back, grunted again, and gestured with his head. Fury was still reluctant about rejoining the rest of us.

But this time, Toothless would not take no for an answer. He simply moved around behind a surprised Fury and began nudging her, even pushing her towards me!

"Way to go, Toothless!" I admired as he literally pushed Fury to us.

"Wish you could do that with me?" Astrid queried.

"Well . . ." I mused.

"Don't think so," my wife warned with a smile as she turned to mount her Nadder. "Let's fly."

"Aww . . ." I sighed in playful disappointment, before turning to Toothless, who was now right next to me, ready to go. "Gotta admire your way with a lady, buddy," I then said to him.

"I heard that!" Astrid replied from atop her Nadder.

"I meant you to!" I replied in turn with a smile, while still looking at my dragon.

Toothless now seemed lord of his domain though, as he first motioned his head at me and almost barked, inviting me to get on, then turning and doing the same at Fury. Once he felt I was in the saddle and stirrups, he just spread his wings, barking at Fury one more time to be sure she knew to follow him. I smiled as Fury now spread her wings, too.

Before I knew it we were off!

Toothless powered his way into the sky with me crouched low on his neck. We both looked to our right at Fury. She was right there with us!

"Yes!" I quietly exclaimed, overjoyed that she had followed us.

As Toothless banked, dived, threaded his way among the sea stacks, and soared over the open seas, with me assisting him totally by instinct now, Fury was matching his every move, right beside us! It was as if they were already flying as one!

That made me think of my own mate, Astrid . . . and our vows.

The rest of our dragons and riders caught up with us. I just gestured with a smile at Astrid towards what Fury was doing beside Toothless. Astrid smiled, too. It was magic!

"Time for a fire drill!" Astrid suggested near me. "You two . . . or three . . . lead the charge!"

"Toothless . . . rock . . . attack!" I ordered and pointed to a rocky sea stack ahead of us, wanting to both see if Fury would fire with us, and what the combined firepower of two Night Furies might do to a mass of stone that resembled a fortress tower.

Toothless quickly roared and motioned to Fury, seeming to let her know what I was asking, and then he faced forward and let loose a blast.

To my quiet ecstasy, I saw a second ball of bluish fire join Toothless' as we banked away from the target sea stack.

_KAABOOOOOMMMM! . . ._ the combined blasts exploded against the sea stack. It started tilting . . . and then crashed into the ocean!

"YESS!" Astrid and I both yelled together, seeing the stone pillar go down. These two Furies together were unstoppable against most any fortress there was! All the other riders around us cheered!

"Nightmares! Nadders! Zipplebacks! Gronckles! Attack beach!" Astrid ordered, peeling the rest of the dragons and riders off with her towards a nearby beach to simulate an attack on the wooden structures within Stormgolt's walls they would be responsible for.

"Toothless . . . rock . . . attack!" I repeated, as Fury and we banked away for a simulated attack run of our own against another rocky sea stack.

_KAABOOOOOMMMM! . . ._ that pillar, too, was easily toppled, even though it was several yards wide!

Fury was getting the idea, almost seeming to treat it as a game with Toothless and I. But would she stay with us through the night, and journey with us tomorrow?

"Astrid!" I called to her as she now flew near me again while the daylight was now fading. "Let's do some practices in the dark here, and then camp at the beach for the night! I don't want Fury to have to adjust to too much change, too fast! We go home tomorrow!"

"Gotcha!" she replied. "You lead the way on these next assaults! Let's run everyone through the whole thing, as if we're attacking Stormgolt for real!"

"Okay!" I agreed. "That group of sea stacks over there is the fortress! I'll lead with Fury, and you attack the inner spaces from behind us!"

"Toothless . . . rock . . . attack!" I ordered as the other dragons and riders formed up behind Toothless, Fury, and I.

We approached the moonlit group of sea stacks. The two Furies let loose blasts at a rocky tower I pointed to before banking away.

_KAABOOOOOMMMM! . . ._ twin shock waves went against it, felling with a crash into the sea, as Astrid led the other riders through the new gap to rake the spaces between the other towers with streams and blankets of fire! Loud explosions reverberated off the surrounding rocks and cliffs, and balls and streams of fire brightly lit up the group of sea stacks!

We were learning how to work together, becoming a unified force. The drill went perfectly!

"That's enough for tonight!" I called out to everyone. "Great work! Back to camp now!"

With Fury still pacing Toothless and I on one side, Astrid pulled up on the other side aboard her Nadder.

"Think we're ready?" she smiled.

"Yeah," I replied in an understated way.

"Worried?" she asked, perhaps a little surprised at my subdued answer.

"Not now," I answered, " . . . but I might get nervous later."

"That's why I'm here," she smiled, "to give you something else to think about."

"Astrid," I warned. "There's no bathtub this time around here."

"See?" she noted. "It's already working. You're not worrying about the battle, are you?"

I couldn't help but shake my head at her and laugh. She had me!

"Race 'ya," she challenged.

"We're almost there," I pointed out. "There's the camp. Toothless . . . beach . . . land!" I directed him, pointing to a lone campfire near our ship that its captain and navigator had lit.

"Oh well," she sighed, beginning to follow us down, " . . . there's always next time."

I quietly hoped there would be. But my recent experiences in battle didn't leave me casually expecting 'next times' anymore. I felt now maybe I should accept Astrid's challenge to a race, but . . .

"These dragons have worked hard enough," I decided, patting Toothless' neck for a job well done . . . especially with Fury. "Everyone needs a good rest before our long trip and battle. Last thing I need is to be flying a sore dragon tomorrow!"

"That's why you're the Chief," my wife admired as she and Needles now fell behind us for landing.

We all even landed like a unified force on the beach. We would make an impressive sight as we arrived in Stormgolt now. The Dragon Riders of Berk! It had a nice ring to it.

"Easy, Fury, easy . . ." Astrid assured as she walked around in front of her, coming to me as I got off Toothless.

"How are you doing? How are those wounds of yours feeling?" my wife asked me.

"Wait," I cautioned, seeing that Fury was now just wandering off.

Toothless gave her a gentle roar and gestured, but otherwise didn't seem terribly concerned.

He then looked at Astrid and I as he just proceeded to lay down beside us, right where he was. He then almost barked at us, gesturing with his head for us to sit down and lean against him.

"Okayy . . ." I said, accepting his invitation uncertainly, as Astrid and I now sat down and leaned back against him. Toothless seemed more forceful and insistent than usual. He then looked up and around at Fury, who was looking back at him, dimly lit by the campfire light. He barked at her, and motioned with his head for her to join his 'family', but she refused, choosing to lie down instead where she was, but keeping an eye on him.

Undeterred, Toothless then looked and barked at Astrid's Nadder, Needles, now inviting her to come and join us. To my surprise, Needles compliantly came over and joined us, curling up beside Toothless' tail.

"Let me be on that side," Astrid requested, shifting places with me so that she'd be closer to her Nadder.

Toothless then looked over at Fury one more time, and just gave a satisfied "Hummpphh!" indicating his way with us was better, and if she wanted to just 'be that way', it was fine with him . . . and her loss!

"Toothless, you are incredible!" I admired as Astrid and I curled up together against him. "Hey, you want me to take your gear off?" I now offered as well.

He just laid his head on the ground and looked at us now.

"Guess not tonight," I sighed as I stretched against him. "But hey, everyone want a round of fish here?"

"Alright," Astrid accepted, choosing to remain sitting down as I began to get up . . . her pregnancy now seeming to catch up with her just a bit. "Bring enough for the dragons, too. And just some water would be nice."

"I'll find a basket," I replied, unavoidably grimacing a little with those stabbing pains again as I stood up.

"Oh, I'm sorry, Hiccup," Astrid empathized. "I forgot . . . you're recovering here."

"I'm okay," I assured.

"You didn't say 'fine', like you usually do," she noted. "I'm helping," she decided, straining to get back up herself now.

"You know me that well, eh?" I smiled, as I helped her up.

"I'm your wife," she replied, kissing me.

"That's a good thing," I accepted, giving her a brief hug.

Soon, we were carrying a basket of fish back for us all.

"Surely Fury's hungry by now," Astrid thought. "Come back over here, Fury . . . fish?" she invited her, holding up a good-sized cod.

Fury raised her head, even got up on her legs somewhat, but otherwise she wasn't budging.

"Would you come eat with Toothless if we went somewhere else?" she sighed. "Here then," she offered as she dropped both the cod and some more fish near Toothless' head, hoping they would share together. "Come on, Hiccup . . . let's give this shy girl some space with Toothless."

I shrugged and took Astrid's hand as we went over to join other riders around a campfire.

Toothless gently barked at us though, getting us to stop and look back. He motioned his head sharply for us to come back and sit back down beside him . . . even picking up a fish and holding his mouth open and roasting it for us, right then.

"We can't refuse that kind of invitation," I said to Astrid.

"Toothless," Astrid sighed. "Court your girl there," she suggested with a hand towards Fury.

Toothless hesitated, looking between Fury and us. He gently barked at Fury, again inviting her to join him. Very slowly, Fury came over to him, and took a couple of fish from their pile, eating them with a couple of gulps as she looked at him. The moment Astrid and I tried to return though, she left him and went back to where she had been . . . watching us, and him.

"It looks like she's asking him to make a choice between us and her," Astrid sighed.

"He can't choose her though, because of his tail . . . what I did to him," I noted, feeling guilty.

Toothless then just turned his head, looked at us and quietly invited us to sit down beside him again, placing the fish he'd just roasted on his front left foreleg for us.

"It's alright, Hiccup," Astrid consoled me. "Let's keep him company. That's what he wants now. Otherwise he'd be getting up and walking over to her."

My wife tried one more time though, picking up another fish and offering it to Fury, even sitting down on her knees for a moment in front of her.

"Fury, you're asking Toothless to make a choice that he just can't make," she said, holding out the fish towards her. "He can't fly . . . he can't live . . . without us anymore. He knows that. And asking him to just isn't fair."

Fury wouldn't move towards her though.

"Here's your fish then . . . enjoy it," Astrid sighed, giving up and gently tossing it towards her, before getting back up and turning to join Toothless and I.

A truth had been exposed among Toothless, her, and I though . . . one that had not been spoken before. My wife and I sat down silently beside Toothless.

"I should apologize to him for screwing up his life," I sighed quietly, as Astrid sat down beside me again, " . . . at least his love life."

I felt Toothless nudge my side though. He just looked at me with those calm, understanding eyes again.

"I'm sorry, buddy . . . I really am," I apologized sadly, looking at him as Astrid embraced me from my other side.

"If it wasn't for you," my wife gently reminded me, "and what you did _with_ him . . . he'd be living a solitary life now, based in fear . . . like Fury over there is living. He's aware of that, Hiccup. He wouldn't know things like the friendship, family, trust, and love he has now . . . things that perhaps Night Furies haven't known before. He forgives you," she soothed, gently kissing my ear. "He did a long time ago now. You know that inside," she said, rubbing her hand gently over my heart.

"I know," I quietly agreed, looking down. "I still just can't believe it sometimes."

Toothless gently picked up the roasted fish on his paw with his mouth, and offered it to me once more.

I closed my eyes, feeling deeply moved. Toothless placed the fish in my lap and nudged against my side, as my wife leaned against me warmly from the other side, still rubbing her hand gently over my heart.

Astrid had an idea. "To family," she said, picking up the roasted fish on my lap and taking a bite. "To our family," she added, now feeding the fish to me.

I took a bite.

"To our family, Toothless," she said as we both offered the fish to him.

"He doesn't like cooked food though," I whispered aside to her.

Toothless looked at us, and took a bite of the fish anyway.

Astrid silently encouraged me to move in with her now and nudge against his nose with ours as Astrid's Nadder moved in to join us as well.

We were a family. That was enough for Toothless, and it was a miracle for Astrid and I.

— — — — —

My wife and I soon brought some wood over, and Toothless lit it so we could enjoy a campfire together. Fury remained nearby, but she wouldn't join us.

The two of us just leaned back against Toothless and watched the campfire, as Toothless laid his head down and watched it with us.

"You know," Astrid yawned, "I think he'd prefer us without a bed. He looked like he was straining his neck there to keep his head beside you on our bed last night."

"I'll be your bed tonight," I invited, drawing her against me as I now laid Astrid and I down on the beach beside Toothless. She was nestled against Toothless, and I settled down next to her. I took off my heavy chief's cloak and laid it over both of us.

"Told you that thing would come in handy for something," Astrid teased as she relaxed against me. "I just hope it doesn't rain tonight. We didn't exactly remember to bring tents here."

Sure enough, we soon heard thunder, and then began to feel rain as the campfire in front of us now quickly began to die down. We saw other dragons and riders head for shelter among the rocks, even in small caves there. But then . . . we didn't feel rain.

Toothless was just watching us with one eye open . . . and one wing extended over Astrid and I.

"Astrid, look what's over us," I whispered.

"Oh my gods . . . Toothless," Astrid admired. She rubbed his side in gratitude.

"What can we ever do for you, bud?" I asked as I gratefully looked at him, too.

"Help him win Fury," Astrid said. "With her current attitude, he needs the help!"

"Yeah," I sighed. "I hope she comes with us when we leave tomorrow."

"It'll work out . . . with or without her," my wife lovingly assured. "Don't let it keep you up here. You can't control it, or how she behaves. Gods know we've tried."

"But three dragons in our house though?" I asked.

"Four, or even more . . . if he gets lucky," Astrid now smiled as we held each other.

"We won't be able to all live together anywhere _but_ the cove, the way you're talking," I cautioned.

"Would that be so bad?" she asked.

"No, it wouldn't," I smiled, as we lay warm under my cloak, and dry under Toothless' extended wing.

Toothless now let his wing gently fall over us, as he seemed to fade off to sleep himself, even wrapping Astrid and I securely inside it.

"Wow," I marveled, " . . . falling asleep, wrapped by a dragon. We've come a long way since we were fighting against them."

"Yeah, we have," Astrid agreed as she shifted against me a little. "You okay with my shoulder armour here?"

"Eh, I'll live with it," I decided, repositioning my chin so it wasn't resting quite so hard against one of them.

"This reminds me though of when you held me back," I now remembered, "that day in the Dragon Ring, when Toothless saved me from that Monstrous Nightmare . . . only to be captured by the village men. You held me back, almost just like this . . . from intervening to save him, from even trying to protect him, as he had just done for me."

"I know," Astrid said quietly.

"I've always wanted to ask why did you do that?" I wondered, "Why did you keep me away from him? You had asked me only days before in that ring which side I was on. That day, after the night we spent flying with Toothless . . . I was wondering whose side you were now on."

"I was on your side, Hiccup," she replied, almost sadly. "I had a choice to make that day . . . or at least I felt I did. I almost couldn't admit it to myself back then . . . but you came first, ahead of anyone else . . . even ahead of the friend, and family member now, who's now keeping us dry. I still feel bad about having made a choice like that. I don't know if I would do the same thing now. But then, I chose you."

"I'm sorry," I quietly said, now feeling bad.

She sniffed, almost laughed a little. "Maybe Toothless and I were both your friends by then. When he could no longer protect you, I tried . . . until your father hauled you away."

"That was painful," I remembered, " . . . in more ways than one."

"This shoulder armour makes you remember that though?" she asked, raising her head to look at me as the last embers of the campfire faded in the rain near us.

"Well . . . yeah," I admitted. "I remember my head being almost forced between this one here, and your head. On any other occasion, it would have felt wonderful. Sorry I brought it up though, Astrid," I sighed. "I just haven't rested with you wearing these in a long time now."

"Well," she decided, "these are coming off. Just keep me warm with your chief's cloak here, okay? And my spike skirt must be killing you, right? It is with me. I need to let this thing out some more again with this pregnancy."

"Astrid, no," I gently countered. "You don't need to do that. I'm sorry. I didn't mean to make you uncomfortable. It was just a stray thought. Forget it, okay?"

"And I didn't mean to make you uncomfortable, Hiccup," she replied. "But no, I can't forget that day either, and I don't want to forget the conversations we have."

"We need to be in a bath right now," I tried to joke. "Our conversations there don't get this edgy."

"That's 'cause I'm not wearing the armour," she said as she now twisted and wriggled a little next to me, finishing what she had intended to do, and laying it down next to our legs to keep it dry overnight.

"Astrid," I sighed. "Here then, take my tunic," I said as I then wriggled out of that while still lying on the beach sand and rocks myself.

"Thanks," she accepted . . . wadding it up as I gave it to her. "I wanted a pillow just above your shoulder. There," she sighed pleasantly as she settled in against me once more.

"Well, you do feel better to me now," I noted in surrender.

"Uh huh," she agreed, as I brought her closer in my arms.

"Astrid, I am sorry though," I apologized, "if I gave you the idea I thought you were betraying me and Toothless that day."

"And I'm sorry, Hiccup," Astrid gently replied in turn, "that I thought I had to choose that day between you and Toothless, instead of standing with you as you wanted to protect a friend."

I now held her tightly, kissing her forehead as she nestled her head against my neck.

"You stood with me a little later, on that overlook though," I reminded her. "You asked the hard questions . . . ones I resisted. But you pressed, until you got the answers that I needed myself. And you stood with me later, when we set everything right. I've never forgotten that . . . and I've never stopped loving you since then."

Astrid just raised her head and kissed me, passionately. I kissed her, again and again.

"You know," she sighed a moment later, "we even have good conversations outside of baths. But, would you let me apologize to Toothless?"

We both emerged our heads from under my cloak where we were laying under his wing. Toothless was watching us . . . with one eye open.

"Toothless," Astrid said, "even though it all worked out, maybe the way it was supposed to . . . I'm sorry I stopped Hiccup from protecting you in the ring that day, and that I chose to protect him instead of both of you, as I would now."

Toothless just stretched his neck back towards us, and nudged us both against our upturned foreheads. Even I felt gratified.

"I love you, Toothless," my wife said as she strained to kiss him goodnight on his nose.

"I love you, too, Toothless," I added quietly, as I reached and gently rubbed his side.

His wing wrapped even closer around us now, and I felt him take a deep, satisfied sigh. He shifted and curled up more tightly around us . . . protectively surrounding Astrid and I.

"We're getting rid of the bed frame when we get home," Astrid quietly sighed now as she lay back down against me. "Sleeping on a mattress, beside a dragon? It's just so much cozier . . . except against Needles," she qualified. "Sorry, Needles, no offense."

"How about when we want to share passion?" I playfully asked.

"That's what bathtubs are for," Astrid smiled.

"So that's why you have us take so many baths," I playfully replied.

Astrid just kissed me again to silence me.

"Thanks for getting me to ditch the armour here," she then sighed, resettling against me one more time. "They were pinching against my own shoulders anyway. And that skirt . . . well, I bet our baby's breathing a sigh of relief, too. You, sir, are just so much more comfortable than they are. You comfortable against the beach rocks and sand there?"

"They're providing good back support actually," I noted. "Plus, I've been warming them up. I'm not cold against them anymore."

"But what about your head?" she noted. "It's just laying on rocks."

"I'm fine," I assured.

"Raise your head," she requested.

"Astrid," I objected, as I complied anyway.

"There we go," she said with satisfaction as she slid my own wadded up tunic under my head, arranging it to support my neck, too, the way she knew I liked. "Now I'm more comfortable," she noted.

We both laughed, before I brought her closer, and kissed her, lovingly.

"And what about your wounds?" she asked. "We don't want you getting sand in them."

"They're dry, and healing well," I replied, "so far as I can feel, and just like you said this morning."

"Well, let me at least feel," she requested again as I complied and shifted a bit. She then reached around me and ran her left hand over at least the two scars on my side and back, brushing the sand away as she went, and even pressing against them with her fingers.

"See?" I assured.

"I can't even see your nose right now," she quipped. "But yeah, they're healing okay here. They feel decent?"

"I feel cared for," I replied. "But yes, they feel fine."

"Never had this before, have you?" she noted.

"Not all this, no," I pleasantly sighed.

Astrid and I just kissed again, long and deep, before we resettled together a final time, ready to fade off to sleep.

"Hey, we forgot something here," she suddenly thought.

"What?" I yawned.

"You have to start it," she hinted.

"We live as one . . ." I smiled, holding her tighter.

"We fight as one," my wife answered.

"We love as one," I finished, " . . . and Toothless and Fury fly, as one."

"Gods, let that be so . . . please," Astrid concluded as she held me.

"Let that be so," I agreed as I rubbed Toothless one more time.

— — — — —

The next morning, I found myself being silently awakened by Astrid as she sat up next to me. Having put her shoulder armour back on, she had poked her head above the front of Toothless' wing that he still had protectively wrapped around us, and was looking at something that was behind his back.

"Wh-What is it?" I mumbled at her shaking me.

"Shhhh," she whispered, " . . . look."

I sat up and poked my head around Toothless' wing, too. A second black back was now behind his own. Astrid and I together looked towards Toothless' head. Fury's head was now right next to his. Her body was nestled against his as well.

Astrid and I dared not say a word as we beheld this miraculous, and moving, sight. We silently gripped each other tightly beneath Toothless' wing, feeling overjoyed for him.

"Thank you Odin, Thor, and Freya," Astrid whispered for both of us in prayer. "Oh gods . . . thank you . . ."

Witnessing this was as good, as wonderful, as falling in love ourselves had been.

We both just watched the two Furies sleep together for a moment longer . . . before the spell was broken by others beginning to stir around our beach camp.

Fury quickly woke up and moved away again, even before Toothless had a chance to wake up.

"Ohh, poor Toothless," my wife sighed as Toothless now began waking up. "He never got to enjoy her being beside him. Fury, would you give this guy a break here?" she asked the reluctant Night Fury, who was now a few yards away. "He deserves it. Stop being so difficult!"

Fury would not come back any closer however.

Toothless now raised his head and looked at us, seemingly unaware that he had another sleeping companion during the night. He just looked casually back towards Fury, almost kind of shrugged, and then looked at Astrid and I, still under his wing. He seemed satisfied enough that we had slept dry under his protection.

"Should I tell him?" I asked my wife.

"It might break his heart," she sighed sadly. "Toothless, thank you . . . for keeping us dry," she just said, turning to him. "We always want to be close to you now, and you will always be close to us, okay? We love you, Toothless. We do."

He seemed grateful for our devotion to him alone. Astrid and I though could barely avoid crying together in sadness now for him. My wife now turned and shot Fury a very angry look however, like Fury was a temptress . . . seemingly bent on merely using Toothless for her own ends, rather than even trying to accommodate his needs.

Surprisingly though, Toothless didn't seem all that concerned. He just looked at us, seemingly ready to get up and start the day now . . . which is what we did.

"Well," I said dressing and rising to my feet after Toothless had retracted his wing, "it's a brief trip to Berk to load up on more food and water for the trip, and then it's off to Stormgolt."

"You ready for it?" my wife asked.

"My father, and Gobber, need me to be," I answered as I donned my chief's cloak. "You know, this thing makes a nice blanket . . . but it's really heavy to wear."

"The burden of your position," Astrid smiled.

Toothless was now up and ready to go as well.

"Riders, get ready to go!" I ordered as I stepped up into his saddle, while Astrid went over to get on her Nadder.

Toothless now barked authoritatively at Fury . . . and surprisingly she came towards him.

I just watched, amazed . . . and relieved that she was coming with us after all, having braced myself for the possibility that we'd have to make do without her.

Toothless barked at her once more, gesturing with his head as well. She now compliantly extended her wings, as he did.

Fury could be full of surprises.

I wasn't exactly looking forward to this next step on our journey towards Stormgolt, however . . . our stopover back at Berk.

I had decided even yesterday, that Astrid wasn't coming with me to Stormgolt. It was too dangerous, and both our child, and her, were too precious to me. I'd put it out of my mind last night, even right up until this moment. But I had to tell her soon here. How, I still didn't know.

That second vow of ours gnawed at me though as we all took off into the sky together.


	15. Chapter 15

Our dragon force now landed virtually all around Berk. If we had been invading this village, we would have conquered it in just a few minutes. The biggest miracle was that Fury had come with Toothless and I. While still reluctant and keeping to herself, she seemed ready to be in it with us to the finish now.

"Everyone, keep your distance from that other Night Fury," I cautioned the cheering villagers who began gathering around us almost as soon as we landed. "She's still wild, and easily frightened off! Stay back, and stay quiet!"

"I'll go pack food from my mom's house for us, okay?" Astrid told me, getting off her Nadder.

"Right . . . sure," I replied, my mind occupied with not losing Fury at this point. "Push people back from here," I quickly turned, directing others now, "Establish a big circle!"

"You need help?" she asked.

"No," I sighed as some villagers were now establishing a cordon around the two Furies. "I think things are calming down now. Go take care of what you need to."

"Alright," Astrid accepted. "See you shortly."

I sighed to myself as she left. An opportunity missed. But I just wasn't ready to talk with her yet, especially with so many others around.

I didn't have to wait long, however.

"Hiccup! . . . Hiccup! Could we see you please?" I soon heard a distance away.

"See that they're not disturbed," I instructed one of our village warriors, pointing to the two Furies. "And see that they're fed."

"Yes, Chief," the warrior replied.

"And Hoark," I added, "sorry about your house."

"It's nothing I haven't rebuilt at least seven times over before," Hoark assured. "Besides, the wife was wanting more space anyway . . . another little one on the way you know. I understand you have that coming, too."

"Yep, and that's the problem right now," I sighed as I turned to go towards where I was being called from. Hoark just looked at me, confused.

"Hiccup!" I heard again. It was Ingrid calling me. She seemed to be in a heated argument with Astrid.

"Mother, don't make me choose between my husband and my child!" I could hear Astrid declare now as I walked towards them.

I sighed, knowing what this was about as I joined them in front of their family's house. At least Ingrid was making it easier for me by starting the conversation for me on her own.

"Astrid," I just said directly putting a hand on her shoulder, "I'm sorry . . . but I want you to stay, too."

Astrid suddenly jerked her shoulder away from me, looking at me in shock and disbelief.

"I've been haunted by this for a day now," I admitted, continuing anyway, "and it breaks my heart to ask you. But you're only a couple months, maybe weeks or even days from giving birth to our child. A battlefield, especially in an enemy fortress is no place for you right now. If you fell off your Nadder, as has happened before . . . that would be the end, right there, for our child."

"Hiccup, I'm going with you this time," Astrid said with quiet determination. "I tried to stay at the cove when you came here to retake the village. But within seconds after you took off, I couldn't."

"You must this time," I quietly but firmly countered, "for our child."

"Hiccup," she asked, "do you want to break my heart?"

"Astrid, don't ask him that," Ingrid interjected.

I couldn't answer her. My wife knew she just about had me with that one. Half of me didn't even want to win this argument with her.

"We fight as one," Astrid tearfully said. "That's a vow between us, Hiccup. Our sacred vow. Don't deny it. Don't deny me . . . not now!"

I looked down, almost in shame. I was finding I loved my wife, more than anything else.

"I will never deny our vows," I conceded, now looking back at her, " . . . any of them."

Astrid slowly embraced me.

"But if we lose our family though," I cautioned, as I accepted her embrace and held her back, "if we all go in battle . . ."

"Then we will all go to Valhalla, together," Astrid said, relaxing somewhat in my arms now. "There are worse places for a kid to end up before they're born. And if our child gets ticked at us for denying them a life on Earth . . . I'll explain it to him or her, and live with the consequences."

"But Astrid, you'd be . . ." I cautioned.

"Exactly . . . dead," she smiled. "But we'd be dead together. If that's what happens, I'm ready. I've had my heaven now . . . with you, in our cove these past months. If that's all I have in this life, I could not be happier, Hiccup. I am ready for whatever's next, so long as it's together with you. Our child's spirit chose to join us . . . here, now. It knows the risks, too."

"Astrid," I sighed, "I'm not going to win this one, am I?"

"You are . . . with me," she countered, with unstoppable resolve. "But that's the only way you'll win. You need your back watched, mister. Even you know that. With me, you _won't_ screw up. I swear."

Astrid knew how to get to me.

"We live as one," I accepted, formally signaling my surrender to her.

"We fight as one," she readily replied.

"No, Hiccup, Astrid . . ." her mother tried to interject.

"We love as one," I continued, ignoring Ingrid for a moment.

"Forever," Astrid concluded.

I kissed my wife, hard. We embraced each other equally hard, as we now accepted what might happen, together. I looked at Astrid once more. She was both crying, and smiling at me now. I had never seen her so deeply happy . . . simply for the prospect of remaining together with me, as danger loomed for us.

Gods, I loved this woman.

"Let's go," my wife directed with an authoritative smile now, while also wiping her eyes, as she now donned a fresh warrior's cloak for travel, before either of us could change our minds again. "Mother, you coming?"

I looked back at Ingrid, as she now sighed.

"Mom . . . don't you wish you had gone with Dad on that voyage?" Astrid asked, turning briefly to her again.

"I already had a family to raise . . . and I was pregnant again, with you, Astrid," Ingrid noted. "But yes," she said with a smile as she now donned her own cloak, " . . . I do."

"I am so sorry I stopped you, mother," Astrid said earnestly, now moving to embrace her. "Thank you so much though . . . for not stopping me."

Even I teared up briefly, along with both of them.

The three of us then moved out, passing among the villagers back towards our dragons. At first they were stunned in silence, seeing Astrid as pregnant as she was, looking to be no longer staying behind. Then, they cheered, louder and louder.

We also passed among our Dragon Riders. Fishlegs, Tuffnut, Snotlout, Ruffnut . . . they, and many more now, were all ready to go. And I was their chief, leading them into battle.

"Here, have some chicken," Astrid said, tossing me a leg while we walked. "You forgot to have breakfast."

I just shook my head and smiled as I took a large bite.

"See how you couldn't do without me?" she noted with satisfaction. "Here's some mead to wash that chicken down with . . . straight," she added, now passing me a flagon.

"Skal!" I said, toasting her before taking a healthy swig. "Wow, this has more of a kick to it than yours does."

"I water mine down . . . at least when I've given it to you," she replied with a straight face.

"Anything else you want to confess to me before we head off to battle here?" I asked.

"Nope, actually. That about covers it," she said. "Let's ride."

I grabbed her and kissed her hard, one last time.

"I was about to screw up again," I confessed in a whisper to her as I then touched my forehead to hers.

"I know," she smiled. "Odin," she said closing her eyes as I closed mine, too, "bring us victory, or bring us . . . all this family of ours . . . to Valhalla. Those are your choices. So let it be."

"So let it be," I prayed with my wife. We broke and turned for our dragons.

I boarded Toothless' saddle as attendants removed the now empty basket of fish from him. Being the chief's dragon has its perks. Fury had enjoyed equal treatment, too, even though she wouldn't let anyone near her.

Astrid and her mother pulled up next to me on their Nadders.

"The family that fights together," I noted.

"It's the only way!" Astrid cheered.

"Toothless . . . Fury . . . fly!" I directed, even if Fury didn't know or cared what it meant. I hoped it might start rubbing off on her anyway.

As I took off with the two Furies, Astrid, Ingrid, and our other dragons and riders began taking to the air, sent off by a great cheer from the rest of the villagers. A great phalanx of dragons and riders now arose out of Berk.

I looked at Fury again as she flew beside us. I saw such harmony in how she flew with Toothless and I. Why couldn't she seem to as well? I had to ask him a question though, as we both looked at Fury fly . . .

"Toothless, you wish you could fly on your own again?" I asked.

He seemed to look back at me thoughtfully for a second. But then he grunted and shook his head, like he sometimes shakes off requests and directions from me that he chooses to ignore. He then continued to focus ahead.

The answer was no. His bond with me was his life now. He no longer wanted it any other way. I was humbled.

I then remembered to set us on the correct course however. "South . . . that way," I pointed, as Toothless led Fury in a turn, leveling off towards the midday sun. I stretched for a moment, knowing this was going to be a long flight.

"From reviewing my late husband's logs and maps before we left," Ingrid noted as she now flew alongside me, "and my estimates of our speed, we should arrive over Stormgolt around midnight . . . a good time for an attack, especially as it's a feast day today there. They should be fed, fat, and lazy . . . even drunk!"

"How do you know so much about them?" I asked.

"My late husband came from there," Ingrid said. "I was captured in a raid as a young girl, and taken there . . . to become a slave. My late husband, then a boy, took pity on me, even protecting me from abuse by the man and woman who were my masters. He was able to trade for me. He even wanted to marry me, but he couldn't marry a slave in his city. So he took me away in a boat. We found our way back to my village, Berk. He was willing to settle and make a life with me there, and we did. His knowledge and connections in trading with other tribes, even kingdoms did us very well . . . until his crew brought home word that he'd been killed one day."

"I have never loved a man like that since," she sighed. "But I think I could again, Hiccup. I think I do, actually. That's why I'm with you on this trip."

"My father?" I asked.

Ingrid just smiled a little and nodded. "He's still as devoted to your mother though, as I've been to my late husband. Word has been spreading around the village though that you're . . . helpful . . . at such things."

"Ruffnut?" I smiled.

Ingrid just nodded and smiled, too.

"I'll see what I can do," I assured, "once we rescue him."

"Thanks," Ingrid said modestly, almost embarrassed.

Astrid now flew up beside me.

"Where have you been?" I asked.

"Checking on the other dragons and riders, and briefing them on our plan of attack," she explained. "They'll be under my direction, following you after you wreak damage on the fortress. We'll be lighting up the wooden city inside . . . just like we practiced. You just stay high and out of the way, and keep hitting that stonework."

"If there's one thing I'm learning about battles, Astrid," I sighed, "it's that they rarely go according to plan."

"But you still plan anyway," Astrid countered. "How's Fury doing?"

"Right with us," I sighed, looking at the dragon. "Although even I don't exactly know why."

"I think she's stuck on Toothless now," Astrid smiled. "She just can't admit it to the rest of us, or herself."

"I hope so," I said, "for everyone's sake."

— — — — —

The sun slowly arced across the southern sky as we flew on through the day, finally setting off to the west of us.

"There are some uninhabited small islands coming up," Ingrid advised me, flying next to me again. "They're too small to sustain a population, and no one pays attention to them, especially at night. We should pause and eat there briefly, before making our attack."

"Just no fish runs this time," Astrid interjected from nearby. "We've brought fish with us in baskets, so no one gets cold and wet."

"Ingrid, find us a spot to land," I directed, allowing her to take the lead on her Nadder, as we began to descend closer to the surface.

As we passed low over one islet, we saw a campfire, and someone yelling at us.

"We've been spotted," Astrid said with concern. "We can't afford detection right now. Let me take whoever it is out."

"Wait," I said. "Toothless, another pass," I directed using hand and leg presses to get him to break away from our group and bank around for another look. Fury peeled off right with us.

"Hiccup!" I heard. It wasn't coming from our group, however . . . but from the ground!

"Group! I'm landing!" I yelled back to them. "Toothless . . . beach . . . land!" I directed.

Toothless aimed almost right for the campfire. We set down along with Fury before a large figure silhouetted by the firelight.

"Brought a new friend, I see . . ." a heavily accented, and_ very_ familiar, voice said.

"Gobber!" I said relieved, as I vaulted off Toothless and ran to embrace him. "How did you . . . ?"

"They separated us, your father and I," he said, his tone suddenly changing. "The last thing your father told me to do was escape and try to get back; that I couldn't be any good to him off in a separate cell anymore. He said he'd only slow me down, that he couldn't come with me."

"Why?" I asked.

"Hiccup, he can't walk anymore right now. His legs are broken," Gobber said. "He's not even any good to them as a slave, but they won't let him die, with honour. He's just there now as a symbol of their victory . . . their revenge for us defeating them, even though we were decent to them last fall. Way too decent in my opinion, now. There's a reason they call these the 'Dark Ages', and this is basically it."

"Gobber, you're coming with us . . . to get him, and convince these people not to mess with us anymore," I said.

"Oh no, no. You're not getting me up on one of those beasties!" he countered. "Just send a ship for me when you win. Your father will want that ship, too."

"One's already on the way," Astrid chimed in, having landed and now walking up beside me. "Sorry I didn't have the chance to tell you. My mother already sent our family's trading ship, so no one will think anything of it as it sails here. It should be getting here within the next day or so. Sorry we forgot to tell you. My screw up this time, okay?"

"I feel good about that, actually," I smiled as I put my arm around her. "But Gobber . . ." I insisted, turning back to him.

"Hiccup, no," he insisted with equal firmness. "But Holy Haddock, Astrid! What are you doing going into battle here, getting close to dropping a baby like that?" he exclaimed looking at her.

"It's part of our vows, Gobber . . . between Hiccup and I," Astrid smiled. "We just fight together, no matter what."

"I tend to get myself into trouble, unless she's around," I admitted. "She keeps me straight."

"So he can do great things," she warmly countered.

"But Gobber, I'm chief now," I warned. "I could order you . . ."

"Come on!" he laughed. "Your father couldn't even order me! Give it up, lad!"

"You know where he is though, where they're holding him," I noted.

"Make them bring him to you," Gobber said. "That's what a warrior does in victory. Don't settle for anything less than that. Utter defeat and humiliation is the only thing that will get them to leave us alone. You and these dragons can do that to them. Now, eat your fish," he said looking around as the other riders began opening the baskets and feeding both their dragons and themselves, "then go get him! Just leave me a fish or two while you're gone."

"You heard him," Astrid said, as I sighed with resignation, "eat. But here, I brought us chicken this time. Care for some, Gobber?" she offered, reaching into a shoulder basket she had brought with her.

"You have a wife there, you do!" Gobber admired.

"I know," I smiled, looking at Astrid as she fed me a piece of chicken.

— — — — —

Before long, with all of our dragons and riders fed and rested a little, it was time to fly on and press our attack.

"Your father will be proud, Hiccup," Gobber assured me as I mounted Toothless' saddle again. "Now go get him!"

I clasped Gobber's right hand firmly with mine before he stepped back.

"Fly . . ." I directed Toothless, as he lifted off again.

"Just don't forget about me here," Gobber requested.

"We won't!" Astrid assured as she and the others took off into the night sky with me as well.

"Form up our lines," I directed Astrid. "We go in ready to attack on the first pass . . . catch them by surprise."

"Yes, Chief!" Astrid replied proudly as she fell back behind me on her Nadder.

Soon, the nighttime bonfires and stone towers of Stormgolt came into view in the distance.

"Don't let me screw up this time, bud," I sighed to Toothless.

"I won't . . ." Astrid said next to me.

"I'd hug you for what you just said," I replied, "if I wasn't high up in the air, and on a dragon right now."

"You just did, my love," Astrid assured. "I love you, too. Let's do this."

"Pick that one tower in the centre," Ingrid advised, flying up next to us. "It contains many of the archers and spear throwers who will be on duty tonight."

"Toothless . . . tower . . . attack!" I pointed, as I felt Toothless start banking and descending towards it. Fury was still right with us.

Toothless and Fury then let loose twin balls of bluish-white fire. We peeled away as the fireballs impacted.

_KAABBOOOOOMMMM! . . . _the tower crumbled, and then fell with a roar.

"ATTACK!" Astrid yelled behind us, leading her own contingent of dragons and riders as they began raining streams of fire down upon the wooden houses and structures within the fortress' walls.

"Time to blow a big hole in one of those walls," I said. "Toothless . . . turn . . . wall . . . attack!" I ordered, using hand and leg presses as well.

Toothless, Fury and I banked around sharply, aiming straight for the lower part of a large stone wall.

"Fire!" I ordered as twin blasts once again emanated from the two Night Furies, as we then pulled sharply upward and away.

_KAABOOOOOMMMM! . . . _Stormgolt's mighty, protective wall — once perceived throughout the Viking world as invulnerable to attack — just crumpled in on itself and fell away, leaving the city exposed to the outside. Any army that wanted to, even a small raiding party, could now enter at will.

Whole sections of the wooden city within the fortress were now ablaze. Townspeople were helpless to stop it now.

"Take out the other tower, near the one you've toppled!" Astrid shouted as she passed near me. "That will clear the rampart between them of shooting positions in front of the town square, so you can safely set down there and order them to surrender."

"Got it!" I replied back.

"_Behind you!_" Astrid suddenly yelled.

"Toothless _turn!_" I yelled to him as I instinctively applied leg and hand presses as well, not even taking the time to look behind me at that instant. Toothless banked sharply to the right, as did Fury.

A large catapulted fireball just hurled past us and harmlessly out over the fortress wall.

Astrid briefly flew back close to me. "I got you . . . always," she smiled, before peeling away and regrouping with the others for another attack run.

I could only sigh with relief, marveling at her. But then I realized, it was time to get back to work.

"Toothless . . . tower . . . attack!" I directed him, pointing again.

The Furies once again fired two more blasts. _KAABOOOOOMMMM! . . . _and another tower fell before us as we came around again.

"Mother!" Astrid called to her. "Set down with Hiccup on that rampart, and advise him as needed. I'll stay airborne and watch your backs!"

"Alright!" Ingrid agreed. "Ready, Hiccup?"

This conquering hero business was all new to me. But I was as ready as I ever would be.

"Toothless . . . rampart . . . there . . . land!" I pointed, hoping Fury would still stay with us.

I was almost amazed it all was going so smoothly . . . thanks to Astrid saving me when she did, I had to admit. But I didn't want to jinx it now!

Ingrid and I set down with our dragons and Fury on the rampart overlooking the city's square, as townspeople began looking and pointing at us in terror. I dismounted from Toothless as he carefully watched the scene around us.

"Surrender!" I ordered loudly.

Astrid had her group torch several more buildings from the air to emphasize our point.

Warriors and archers on the ground below us began laying down their weapons and stepping back.

Out of the corner of my eye though, I saw archers and spear throwers taking aim from the next rampart over from us, on the other side of a collapsed tower.

"Toothless, there . . . fire!" I shouted and pointed, standing on our stone rampart next to him.

One blast from him, and the archers were barely able to toss their weapons aside and jump off out of the way. _KABOOM!_ A hole soon marked where they had stood.

"Toothless, there . . . fire!" I ordered, pointing to the rampart on the other side of us as well, without having even looked at it . . . just to be sure. I was learning to anticipate threats now, not just react to them.

_KABOOM! _Threat eliminated, before they could even aim.

"Surrender!" I repeated.

"Surrender . . . or burn!" Astrid added from above.

Now a well-dressed man stepped forward from among the others. He was wearing a gold crown on his head. I presumed that must be their leader. Looking steadily at me, he now unsheathed his sword and threw it on the ground, away from him. All the remaining warriors around him, around the entire city, now did the same in turn.

I had won. The battle had gone right this time.

Astrid now landed next to me and dismounted from her Nadder.

"See? With me, no screw ups, are there?" she observed with satisfaction. She _knew_ what I was thinking.

I moved to hug her.

"Not now," she cautioned, holding up a hand against my chest to stop me, much to my surprise. "You have to be the tough chieftain at the moment. Save it for later though, would you?"

"What now?" I asked, having no idea what to do in apparent victory here.

"Come with me," she invited. "Toothless, Needles . . . stay, watch our backs," she directed them. "Mom, come, too," she added, as she led me down a stairway from the rampart to the town square.

We now crossed the square towards the man in the crown.

"He's called a 'prince'," Ingrid advised behind me. "He inherited his leadership."

"Talk looking straight into his eyes," Astrid then instructed beside me. "You dominate him, got it?"

"Yes," I said, looking at the prince. "Uhh . . . what do I say?"

"First, ask for unconditional surrender," Astrid advised.

"Once you have that, ask them to produce your father," Ingrid followed up.

The three of us now arrived in front of their leader.

"You will surrender unconditionally," I said authoritatively to the prince.

"I . . . accept," the prince reluctantly conceded. "Please spare my people from further harm."

"Produce my father, now!" I then demanded.

"Bring the slave!" the prince turned and ordered behind him.

I knew I couldn't flinch or waiver as I kept my gaze on my conquered opponent as we waited for my father to be brought to us.

The crowd behind the prince soon parted . . . and a cart was wheeled towards us. A large man was laying on it.

"Stoick!" Ingrid cried, rushing to his side.

I cringed for a moment, fearing the worst, as Astrid gripped my arm.

"He lives!" Ingrid now cried with relief as my father weakly lifted an arm towards her.

"Dad!" I said rushing to his side with Astrid.

"Son . . ." he weakly replied.

"Don't even think about it!" we heard from behind us up on the rampart. We looked up as Snotlout dissuaded the warriors from beginning to reach for their discarded weapons. He had a dragon fire a small blast down onto the square to emphasize his point.

The crowd around us remained frozen in fear once again.

"Dad . . . we've come to take you home," I said.

"Son . . . I don't know if I can go and face home . . . like this," he sadly whispered. "I should be dead . . . it's the Viking way. I'm no good to anyone now."

"You'd be good for me, Stoick," Ingrid gently said. "You would."

My father couldn't say a thing to that. He didn't know what to say.

"Alright, don't talk. You're better that way anyway than when you open your mouth!" Ingrid sighed, but betraying a gentle smile.

"Surrender, Dad," I said, using Ingrid's words, "When it comes to women, it's easier that way. Trust me," I added, bringing Astrid beside me.

"Alright," he accepted, trying to maintain his dignity, "but on one condition."

"What, Dad?" I asked.

"I can see you've become chief of the village," he noted, looking at my cloak and badges. "I want you to continue in that role, leading and protecting our people, while I stay on as a village elder."

"But Dad," I protested, "Astrid and I wanted to return to a simple life, at our cove. We like it there now, even love it."

"You stay on as chief . . . or you grant me an honourable death, now, in the Viking way," he said, unwavering.

"Dad, this conversation is becoming very one-sided," I sighed.

My dad just looked at me, steadily. Even lying on a cart, he was still formidable.

"There are worse things than being chief," Astrid soothingly suggested to me.

I looked at her. I _really_ wasn't wanting this job for the long haul.

"I'll help you make up your mind," she said, as she moved in and gave me a devastating, soul-melting kiss.

I couldn't resist. "I'll stay," I sighed, " . . . and be chief."

"I owe you one, Astrid," my father said.

"Fine," my wife accepted in turn, now looking at him, "marry my mother. She's been wanting you to, for years."

"Astrid!" Ingrid exclaimed, seemingly shocked, before shifting her tone, " . . . thank you."

"Wait," I noted, "wouldn't that make us brother . . ."

"Call me that," Astrid warned, cutting me off as she looked at me, "and you'll get smacked, hard."

I looked at her for a second, pursing my lips, trying not to smile. " . . . and sister?" I said anyway. I could _not_ resist finishing that thought, no matter what the cost.

Astrid shook her head, narrowing her eyes at me and looking like she was winding up for a big one.

Before I knew it, she grabbed the front of my clothes, pulled us together, and gave me the hardest, most withering kiss I had ever known, almost sucking the life out of me. It was all I could do to remain upright!

Her lips finally separated from mine. I could swear even my vision was blurry for a second.

"I didn't say with what . . . this time," she whispered as she brought her face within an inch of mine again.

"She advises you well," the prince interjected, seemingly almost with admiration.

"Shut it!" Astrid sharply told him in response while still looking at me . . . before betraying a gentle smile.

I couldn't help but laugh now. We both did.

"Well Stoick, let me care for you," Ingrid suggested, trying to change the subject. "Hiccup, would you tell the prince to either give us his best guest rooms, or just throw him out of his palace until our ship arrives to take us home. And tell him to send us their local healer as well."

"You want your 'advisor' to take care of this?" Astrid quietly suggested to me.

"Alright, but tell him nicely," I directed my wife, reasserting my authority as chief over her . . . which was about the only time I could actually do that.

"Your Highness," Astrid said, taking the prince aside, "you feel like making a deal?"

"But why can't I make a deal with him?" the prince asked pointing to me as she now turned him away.

"Because, although he doesn't look it at the moment," Astrid replied as she now walked away with him, "he's really not as nice and agreeable as I am . . ."

— — — — —

Soon Ingrid and Stoick were off to their own suite in the prince's compact castle within the fortress. Fortunately, we had not really hit that during our attack.

"Where's Toothless . . . and Fury?" I now wondered, looking up and no longer seeing them on the rampart.

"Toothless!" I called out.

I was a little surprised to hear not one, but two roars in response . . . from beyond the fallen fortress wall. A moment later, Toothless emerged over the rubble looking back behind him, as Astrid and I now walked towards him.

"Where's Fury, buddy?" I asked, not seeing her at his side.

He looked behind him again. We then saw Fury out on the grass beyond the fortress wall, poised for take off, but looking back towards him.

Toothless gave a single roar to her, motioning his head for her to come towards us again. Fury simply gave a single roar back. But then she turned, and launched off into the sky.

Toothless now watched as Fury flew away, emitting a soft moan.

Suddenly, the joy of victory now left us.

"He knew this would happen," Astrid sadly realized as I held her with an arm, and we both laid supportive hands on Toothless. "The moment he mated with her, he knew she would leave him, and us. That must be the way of Furies, as it is with some other species. Toothless has come to know, and want, more than that kind of life now. He held out on her though, so she would come with us . . . and fight with us. But, he loved her enough to let her go when the time was right, when we no longer needed her."

"Toothless . . . I'm so sorry," I said.

He turned his head and his gaze towards us. There was now such a sad, painful look in his eyes. He couldn't possibly go with her . . . and sadly, she would not stay with him. Knowing that though didn't make it any easier for him, or for Astrid and I in caring about him . . . loving him.

My wife and I wrapped our arms around his head, and quietly held him . . . for as long as he needed us to. Rain fell on us now. Other people watched us with strange looks.

But we didn't care. One of us, one of our family was hurting. That was all that mattered.


	16. Chapter 16

A lasting truce and peace were secured at Stormgolt, and we returned home on our dragons, followed by ships led by my father and new step-mother, filled with the tribute and spoils that were customarily awarded to victors in war. I had no idea what to do with all the gold, grain, sheep, goats and other things we were getting, but Astrid and our parents assured me it all would be put to good use.

As a gesture of goodwill, we even left behind a contingent of our Dragon Rider force . . . to protect Stormgolt this time, until they could rebuild their wall and towers. To my surprise, Fishlegs was first to volunteer to lead the contingent.

"I have two heads watching over me now," he assured, pointing with a thumb to his Zippleback behind him. "I'll be good. Plus the food here is deeelicious! Maybe I'll find a good cook here to marry and bring back with me when it's time to come home."

Astrid and I could only smile as we bid him farewell.

And so an alliance was forged between Berk and Stormgolt.

Much as I wanted to go back to our cove, as chief, I had to live in the village now. Since I had destroyed my family's house in retaking the village, Astrid insisted we move in with her family . . . her large, crowded family. Part of me would rather have slept out in the rain, but I went along.

They were originally going to give us the loft, shared with one of Astrid's brothers and his wife who didn't have children yet. But with Toothless, we just settled for a corner on the main floor. Needles had to go in a shelter outside. She didn't really seem to mind all that much. There were times I envied her more private living arrangements.

It just made me want to get down to rebuilding my dad's house . . . when everybody wasn't keeping me busy as chief of the village. Since when did Vikings generate this much parchmentwork? No wonder my dad didn't want this job anymore.

— — — — —

While most all of us were enjoying gains, even windfalls now . . . Toothless was still suffering from his loss, maybe even his rejection by Fury. For a while, he didn't even want to go flying after we came home to Berk. He would just stare down at the ground, or sleep . . . a lot.

"We have to do something for him," Astrid said to me one day soon after we arrived back.

"What?" I asked.

"Be with him," she suggested.

Astrid and I dismantled our bed frame then and there, and we moved our mattress next to him that evening. It saved space in her family's house anyway. We sat for hours that night though, leaning against him as he lay curled around us . . . watching the fire near us together, just warmly talking with him and each other, whether he understood us or not. We both gave him a massage, and itched him in all the right places. Astrid even gave him several buckets of mead, full strength, " . . . to dull the ache in his heart and spirit," she said. My mead still came watered down however. I didn't mind.

We just let Toothless know that we cared about him . . . that we loved him. When it was time to go to sleep, we each hugged his head goodnight, and made sure we were lying against him. Even though there wasn't a drop of rain in the house, he still extended his wing over us, enfolding both Astrid and I snugly inside it with protective gratitude. We slept like that together from then on.

Our bond with Toothless became closer than ever. Astrid and I both wished though that it hadn't come at such a cost to him. He had opened his heart to her . . . to Fury. He risked the hope that all those who want love know . . . and lost.

But he was not alone. Astrid and I would never let that be so for him.

— — — — —

Meanwhile, Ruffnut soon actually civilized Snotlout. I no longer heard words like 'dork', 'loser' or 'screw up' from him at all.

She just couldn't marry him. They simply kept . . . dating. He would often just hang out at the Mead Hall though with Tuffnut. Ruffnut soon tired of that however, and would just wander the village aimlessly at times. One late afternoon, Astrid and I encountered her walking around the village like that.

"Found that long-lost twin brother of yours yet?" Ruffnut sighed to me with a half-smile.

"Sorry," I replied.

She now just looked down, not saying anything.

Astrid now silently gestured with her head towards Ruffnut, while tracing an index finger down my upper arm, writing a '1'. Then she subtly squeezed my arm with both her hands.

I looked at my wife very surprised. She just nodded and gestured with her head towards Ruffnut again.

"Ruffnut," I said, " . . . you doing okay?"

She just shook her head now, still looking down. I had an idea now of what my wife wanted me to do.

"It's alright, Ruffnut," I said, taking her into my arms for one heartfelt embrace.

Ruffnut seemed shocked initially, but Astrid reassured her by placing her own hand on Ruffnut's shoulder. Ruffnut then relaxed against me and let out her feelings . . . crying.

"You're married. You two are about to have a family," Ruffnut sobbed. "What I wanted. But I'm . . . I'm still waiting. For what?"

Astrid now hugged both Ruffnut and I from the side. I could see an almost guilty sadness in my wife's eyes now. I understood as I now reached out with one arm for my wife again, and the three of us shared an embrace.

"You're so lucky," Ruffnut sobbed, looking at Astrid as Ruffnut laid her head against my shoulder.

"I know," Astrid gently replied. "Ruffnut?"

"Yeah?" Ruffnut sniffed against me.

"What you're looking for just isn't here, is it?" Astrid noted.

Ruffnut just shook her head.

"Would you like to go find it?" Astrid invited.

"How?" Ruffnut asked in return.

"Would you like to join my family's next trading voyage?" Astrid proposed. "I could apprentice you with the ship's captain, who's a brother of mine. He's married and his wife will be going with him, but we could use a trading assistant as we see what we can get for some loads of wool and dried fish that we generate a lot of around here. You'll officially be along to help make those trades. But your real mission will be to find a guy who's really right for you, and bring him back here to settle. Our village could use some new blood."

"Really?" Ruffnut asked, now almost crying for gratitude and joy.

"Really," Astrid assured, smiling. "Come have dinner with Hiccup, Toothless and I, and let's talk about it some more."

"What about Snotlout?" Ruffnut hesitated. "He's been asking, but I . . ."

"Ruffnut," Astrid replied, "if you can't say 'yes' with your whole heart, and feel good about it, don't do it. I can send him on a separate trading voyage if he's interested. Tell him you're going on this voyage . . . if you want to go. It's only fair that he knows. But if he complains about it, send him to me."

"Astrid," Ruffnut now cried, seeming to forget all about me for a moment as she now hugged her, "thank you . . . thank you so much."

"It's the least I can do," Astrid replied as she embraced Ruffnut back, "for taking this guy here away from you. I know how I'd be feeling now if I was in your place."

"Hiccup," my wife now suggested, "would you go get my sea captain brother from the Mead Hall? Tell him I need to see him about tomorrow's voyage. And Ruffnut, unless you have anything better to do, how about we go over to my place now, and start cooking the three of us a decent dinner?"

"You guys . . ." Ruffnut tearfully marveled.

— — — — —

Ruffnut and Astrid wound up talking a lot as they cooked together that night in Astrid's family household. I just hoped it wasn't about me. With all the other in-laws in the house though, it was tough to hear. Over dinner the three of us shared, after everyone else had already eaten, Astrid even invited Ruffnut to sit next to me on a bench as we all talked across the family's dinner table. I gave my wife a slightly concerned look as we all sat down, but she just gently patted my hand in reassurance.

"Hiccup," Ruffnut confessed during dinner, "I don't know if I would have been as good for you as Astrid is. I think you married the right girl, and I'm learning how to be better . . . for my guy, my really right guy."

I just smiled and shook my head, not knowing quite what to say to that. Astrid just smiled as well, reaching across the table to reassuringly take my hand, now tracing a '2' across the back of it with a finger. I knowingly put my arm around Ruffnut again and drew her warmly to me again as she just happily sighed and leaned against me one more time putting her arms around me as well.

"You don't know how good even just this makes me feel, you two," Ruffnut sighed against me.

"Believe me, I do," Astrid replied. "And I'm thankful for it . . . so thankful for it, every day. Sitting here across from you two . . . seeing how it could have gone between all of us . . . I'll never take my marriage to you, Hiccup, for granted now."

We three were good friends now, who understood and helped each other . . . and we always would be.

"I just hope my future husband understands this," Ruffnut sighed against my shoulder, " . . . that we're friends, that is."

"Don't settle for one who doesn't," Astrid warmly advised, "and we'll help, Ruffnut. We will."

— — — — —

The very next day, Ruffnut was leaving on a trading voyage, practically right at the bow of the ship . . . looking for her own true love.

Snotlout watched her go briefly, but then just shrugged and said, "Mead time! Later, dor— . . . I mean Chief," and headed off to the hall with Tuffnut . . . who seemed to prefer mead over girls as well. Given the now meager selection left within our age group in the village, I could hardly blame them.

Snotlout was a good Dragon Rider, and I trusted him in battle. But Ruffnut's effect on him was clearly temporary, and I realized now even she had seen that it wouldn't last.

Me? I had something a lot better than mead though. At least I thought so.

"You are one trusting wife," I admired as Astrid and I watched the trading ship go.

"Do I have a reason not to be?" my wife asked, fortunately with a smile.

"No, you don't," I warmly assured her. "And you never will. I promise," I added as I kissed her.

"I'll make it worth your while," she replied, " . . . I promise."

— — — — —

A new age had now truly come to our village. We were at not just peace, but a true harmony with our dragons. Other villages and tribes respected us. The peaceful trading voyages, instead of raiding voyages, that Astrid's family continued, brought growing prosperity to our village. Others knew we were a fair, even generous people. However, as Astrid put it, they also knew we were not to be 'messed with' anymore.

Together though, Astrid and I were beginning to make Berk a heaven on Earth . . . well, as much as you ever could make a narrow, barren, windswept hillside on an island, facing a frigid sea a heaven, anyway.

We didn't know how long this would last . . . how many generations. But it was the gift Astrid and I chose to make of our lives together to the world around us.

After a while, I finally managed to finish rebuilding my dad's house. Building that place, even at night in the dark was sooo much better than hangin' with all the in-laws, nice as they were individually. Astrid would help out, as she could. She had been getting even more pregnant though, and getting just a little frustrated about that. I soon got her just to rest against Toothless in the middle of what our house would become, as she'd watch me work around them in the evenings, with occasional help from Gobber. Toothless would keep her dry with an extended wing when it rained.

"Thank you so much for this, Hiccup," Astrid would say when I helped her up to go back to her family's home after an evening's work on our house.

"What you're doing is work, too," I'd assure my wife.

That would earn me a guaranteed hug and kiss.

The best part about my dad's new house though was my dad and step-mom wouldn't really be occupying it . . . during summers anyway, it later turned out. They were now living whenever they could over at what had been our cove house, having discovered how nice living _without_ an extended family actually was. Gee, what a concept!

But today I would finally have a home of our own again! A private little Valhalla, right in town . . . with just Astrid and Toothless, and the Nadder.

I was all set to start moving us in, until something else happened . . .

"Hiccup . . . it's time," Astrid told me, gripping my hand tightly while we walked with Toothless, as she now doubled over with the first pains of labour.

"Summon the midwife!" I ordered as I now helped my wife, and the expectant mother of our child back home.

"No . . . the other one," Astrid redirected me, as she was trying to cope with her first labour pains. "Our new house."

"But we haven't moved in yet," I cautioned. "There's nothing there."

"_That's_ where I want to give birth," Astrid insisted.

"Little help here!" I called out to her relatives as I now turned around with Astrid.

Her relatives then rushed to set up our bed, with the bed frame, in the new house, across from the fireplace, which they also rushed to build a fire in, while Astrid had to wait on the porch as I held her, breathing hard.

"And please put a sheepskin under me," Astrid cautioned, as we finally stepped into our house together. "I _really_ don't want to mess up our mattress!"

"Okay," I assured with a smile. "Don't worry. I think you have more important things to think about right now."

Her mother had heard Astrid's request, and was laying down a sheepskin on our bed as I now helped Astrid to lie down onto it.

"You sure about this, Astrid?" Ingrid cautioned, seeing me right by her side, as my father now approached Ingrid's side as well.

"Family gathers around when one of them leaves this world," Astrid said as she continued her regular breaths that the midwife had taught her. "I want my family around to welcome our child into the world. I want to celebrate life, even birth, with those I love and care about."

"Hiccup, my husband," she said turning to me, and gripping my hand tightly as another wave of pain swept over her. "I know I've been such a pain here! Thank you so much for being . . . you! But today, it is my proudest duty as your wife . . . to bear you . . . to bear us, a child. Please, stay by my side, and share this with me. My love for you, and what we are together . . . couldn't be greater . . . Aaaaaahhh!"

"Relax, Astrid, just relax," I replied, kissing her forehead as she began grimacing with increasingly severe labour pains. "I am right here, with you. I couldn't be closer," I assured as I cradled her head and shoulders in my arms, undoing my tunic some and holding her tightly, making sure her head was as she wanted it — buried against the bare, warm skin of my own neck and shoulders.

"Ohh, Hiccup," she sighed for an instant. "This is what I wanted for the birth of our child . . . just like this. Thank you . . ."

"Go ahead, give birth, Astrid," I said softly to her, kissing her forehead as I held her, " . . . give life."

Astrid cried out now as I held her tightly, riding out the pain of birth with her. Again and again she cried, ferociously gripping my hand with hers, as the midwife and her mother, Ingrid, assisted her below.

My father didn't exactly look comfortable witnessing the whole proceeding.

"Come up this end of the bed, Dad," I invited, trying to accommodate him. "Keep Astrid and I company."

Despite her pain, Astrid briefly looked up at me and could hardly keep from laughing about this mighty warrior, who had seen plenty of blood in his time, now being squeamish about childbirth.

"Shhhh!" I quietly told her, seeing the amusement in her eyes as he moved, with the help of a cane now, up next to us, clearing his throat. Some of rest of Astrid's family and closest friends now cautiously gathered around us as well at more of a distance.

The midwife looked up briefly and sighed at this highly unorthodox gathering with even the few loved ones that Astrid had wanted there.

Astrid noticed this during a pause between her labour pains. "This is what I want. We celebrate birthdays, don't we? Well, here one is!" she assured, before another round of pains seized her.

I could see her mother, Ingrid, now looking proudly at Astrid, who was even giving birth now on her own terms.

"Where's Toothless?" Astrid asked during a brief respite from labour. We heard a gentle roar. "Let him through," my wife directed, looking to one side.

Toothless poked his head through among the family members gathered around us, on the left side of the bed in the middle of our house.

"You're family, Toothless," Astrid assured. "Here," she invited as I held her, "I want you right here, beside me." Astrid looked up at me with a smile as my father stepped back, with a degree of evident relief, and allowed Toothless to come to our side.

Toothless looked at Astrid intently, gently nudging her left side with the tip of his nose.

"What is _that_ doing here?" the midwife now decried.

"_He_," Astrid countered, briefly laying a protective hand on Toothless' head, "is family. If you cannot focus on your own work, I'll give birth without you!"

Threatened with dismissal by the wife of a chieftain — and a powerful wife in her own right — the midwife now dutifully focused on what she was there to do.

Labour pains now gripped Astrid again, as she cried out, almost choosing to roar now, like a wild lynx. She was even mastering the pain of labour.

She looked at me fiercely as she roared again. "I am doing this for you . . . for us!" she said with determination between pains.

"I love you, Astrid," I said quietly with intense admiration for her, kissing her forehead again and cradling her even closer.

"The baby's coming! Keep pushing!" the midwife ordered.

I felt Astrid summon herself for a total final push. She roared once again as I held her tightly, and then . . .

We heard the cry of a newborn baby!

"It's a boy," the midwife assured as she cleaned and wrapped our son in a new blanket, while Astrid collapsed against me, exhausted and breathing hard, and crying for a moment with relief.

"Give him to me," Astrid urgently requested. Ingrid, beaming with tearful pride, now presented our son to Astrid and I.

I held Astrid, as she now cradled our son in her arms. Astrid and I could only cry together as I kissed her again.

"I want to name him for the father I loved, even though I never knew him," Astrid requested, looking at me. "I want to name our son . . . Eric."

"Eric it is, Astrid," I assured. I would have given her any name . . . or anything else she wanted at that point.

"But it's not in keeping with our village tradition," the midwife reminded her. "You should pick a name that will scare off the trolls!"

"I know," Astrid responded. "But my father wasn't from our village originally. I want to name my son for someone I loved, not a quality he is to be feared or reviled for. I'd name him Hiccup, but I only want one Hiccup in my life, my husband," she said now looking at me.

"He shall be Eric," I assured, " . . . Eric the Committed, just as his parents are."

Astrid buried her face against me in tearful gratitude as I continued to hold both her and our son.

Toothless cautiously sniffed our baby now.

"Introduce them," my wife smiled.

"Toothless . . . this is our son, Eric," I said with tears in my eyes. "Eric, this is Toothless. He's part of our family, too . . . just as you are now."

To our amazement, and even though with his eyes still closed he couldn't yet see Toothless, Eric held out a tiny hand toward our dragon . . . and kept it there.

Ever so slowly and gently, Toothless touched his nose to that hand, and closed his eyes. Toothless had now bonded with our son as well, extending his full trust, and love, to him in the dragon way. Eric cooed upon feeling Toothless. He was not afraid of him at all.

Astrid and I now each laid a hand upon Toothless' head as well. Our family circle was complete.

I could not be prouder of my wife, Astrid, Eric, my new son, my dragon companion and friend, Toothless . . . or of the extended family around us.

I loved them. I loved them all . . . but especially Toothless, and my wife . . .

. . . my Astrid.

* * *

_Proceed straight on to the bonus section._

_— Norwesterner_


	17. Bonus Chapter 1

Toothless, Astrid, our son, Eric, and I played in our cove. Needles was around, but had wandered off somewhere, as she often did. She was part of our family, but just not anywhere near to the degree Toothless was.

It was three summers later and Eric was already coming up on his third birthday. Our cove had become a nice place to get away for us, and to bond as a family. Astrid had seen how much I missed the place, and so periodically, she'd just send a ship to take our parents back to the village and insist that our family fly out to our cove home for a few days at a time during the summers.

I watched Toothless now as he watched Eric draw in the sand, allowing myself to marvel at how good a guardian Toothless had become for little Eric. Right from the beginning, he would gladly let Eric pull on his ears, keep Eric out of trouble, even form a protective barrier all around our adventurous son with his own body and tail to prevent Eric from wandering off, and keep a constant eye on him. With me often busy having to oversee village affairs, and Astrid gradually taking over her family's trading ventures from her mother, we were both grateful for Toothless' help. Eric wasn't Toothless' son . . . but he might as well have been.

Initially after Eric's birth, whether we slept in the village, or at the cove, we would all sleep together . . . my wife, son, and I on a mattress on the floor, with Toothless wrapping himself protectively around us, wing and all. We liked it that way.

But when Ingrid came upon us like that one morning when we were sleeping in our shared village home, she strongly advised that babies must learn to sleep by themselves, otherwise they would become overly dependent on their parents every day and never develop as individuals. So Astrid and I reluctantly accepted a crib from Ingrid, and one night we laid little Eric down by himself, while we returned to sleep with Toothless as Eric began crying out for us. While my wife an I looked sadly at each other, Toothless just looked sternly at the two of us, wondering what we were doing . . . and what was wrong with us.

Finally, he just got up and went over to Eric's crib.

I was about to get up to dissuade him, but Astrid stopped me. "Wait," she whispered.

We watched as Toothless first nuzzled little Eric gently, calming him almost immediately. Then, carefully gathering up the ends of the blanket Eric was wrapped in, Toothless picked up the blanket, Eric and all, with his mouth. My dragon proceeded to slowly circle and lay himself down, curling up very tightly. Finally, Toothless laid Eric down within the curve of his own body, nudged him a little to make sure Eric was situated just right, and then laid his own large head down, going to sleep himself as he extended his wing over Eric and cradling him in it.

There now wasn't a sound in the house. Astrid and I just looked at each other in silent amazement.

And that's the way it continued every night from then on . . . to the point where Astrid and I wound up re-erecting our bed frame with a sigh, and began sleeping there again, almost feeling left out now. Some nights we would drag our mattress onto the floor next to Toothless, basically asking if we could rejoin Eric and him for the night. He would always welcome us back into his circle, but he made it plain that little Eric would always sleep in his reassuring, protective care now. Eventually we provided Toothless with a small mattress to make Eric more comfortable. Ingrid still didn't approve, and while Astrid and I gave into her about where and how the two of us slept . . . at least when Ingrid and my dad were in the same house with us, which had made for three _very_ long winters . . . she learned as we had, that once Toothless had made up his mind about something, there was no arguing with him.

"Way to go, Toothless," Astrid and I would quietly cheer behind her back, whenever he warned Ingrid off about picking up and removing Eric from his care at night with a snarl.

"At least this way, I get you all to myself . . . and you get me," Astrid would optimistically remind me at times on winter nights in our bed, when I would be about ready to snarl at Ingrid right along with Toothless.

"Yeah, but Ingrid and my father are right across the main floor here," I would sometimes whisper back in objection to her. "They won't bed down up in the loft like I'd planned."

"You think your dad, with a cane, can climb those stairs?" Astrid whispered in reply.

"I know," I sighed. "And you and I can't go up there because then Toothless would try and fit up there, with Eric . . . and then your mom would really freak."

"This is why my family makes both our mattresses, and our quilts thick," Astrid smiled as she all but hauled me under the covers. "Let me reintroduce you to our own private little paradise, right here."

"You know how hard it is to stay frustrated when you do this with me?" I sighed with the heavy covers now thrown over my head.

"Yep," Astrid replied speaking practically in normal a tone now as she kissed me hard. "I know."

"Wish I could see you in here," I noted, now also speaking almost normally.

"You know what I look like," I could hear and feel my wife smile right in front of my face.

Having basically run out of excuses and objections, I could only surrender once again to my wife's plans for our night here.

"It's your turn this time," she'd sometimes invite.

I could only burst out laughing at that point, while trying to keep it quiet. Astrid would help by muzzling me with another passionate kiss. That would calm me right down.

Have I said I loved this woman?

Still, I had to admit Ingrid was family to me now, in more ways than one, and my father was truly happy to have someone to share his life with again. I just wish it wasn't in the same house — especially on the same floor with Astrid and I.

While my wife did do a lot to make life bearable for me with our parents, having to keep our love 'under wraps' like that still got somewhat old by the end of the third winter.

Even our baths ceased to be the private, romantic affairs they once were . . .

"But our parents are right over there!" I whispered in objection once as Astrid tried to romantically nuzzle me in our tub, "and they're not talking, they're just reading together. We had more privacy when we were taking baths in your family's house filled with talking in-laws! Here, we're the only ones making noise!"

"Okay," Astrid sighed, giving up and now even getting out of the tub in frustration. I was just too surprised to think to grab her in time, as she had done with me a couple times before.

"I'm sorry," I apologized later as I found her, bundled up in blankets on the front steps of our village home, sitting down next to her myself in just a robe.

"I know," she sighed. "I'm sorry, too. I understand though. I can't be very intimate with you in front of my mom, either. I get to hear about it later from her."

"Gee, I didn't know it was that bad for you," I empathized.

"There's just no place around here now it seems where we can just be us anymore," Astrid despaired.

"Well," I thought. "They're not using the Dragon Ring or cages for much of anything right now."

"My family is using those as store rooms now for our trade goods," she replied. "Besides, those are ice cold this time of year."

"I bet I could figure something out there," I noted as I looked at Astrid with a growing smile.

— — — — —

"Right this way," I invited as I ushered Astrid the very next evening down into one of the former dragon cages where we could pull the door closed behind us. "Red, light please?"

"Hiccup . . ." Astrid admired, thoroughly surprised and charmed.

"One Monstrous Nightmare, curled up in the corner for light and heat," I noted. "Turn down the flames just a little though, okay, Red?"

The dragon lazily complied, reducing its body flames somewhat.

"A spare bed frame and mattress, along with plenty of quilts I found in here," I proudly continued, "and one spare tub, already filled with dragon-heated water. All ours for tonight."

"These are supposed to be sold among the villagers here," Astrid cautioned, " . . . but I'm not telling if you're not."

Before I could even answer, I was the sudden recipient of a year's worth of passion that my wife had been holding back within her as she literally tackled me and shoved me down onto the plush bed. My leg rig was literally thrown aside — fortunately it didn't hit Red — as was everything else on me, in very short order.

"Anything you want me to do?" I asked as I just sort of lay there.

"What do you think?" Astrid briefly paused with a raised eyebrow, still fully dressed herself.

"Okay," I smiled. "I got the message here."

We both laughed out loud. Just being able to do that alone felt wonderful. I then rolled my wife over. "The head band stays on though," I cautioned as I now took charge.

"Nooo problem," my wife readily agreed.

That night of passion was wonderful . . . while it lasted.

Unfortunately, her mother and a couple of her brothers found us in that bed the next morning when they came to open the storeroom. Plus, it really didn't help that Snotlout came looking for his dragon at just the same time.

"Hey! What are you guys doing with my dragon?" he asked . . . while we were still in the bed.

The corker though was Toothless showing up with little Eric on his neck.

"Mommy, what are you and Daddy doing in there?" our son asked. "We've been looking for you."

While I was all too used to such humiliation, I was grateful that Astrid wasn't getting mad. Instead . . .

"Would you all just give us a minute here?" she calmly asked everyone in front of us to my amazement, as she sat up in the bed, clutching the quilt in front of her, " . . . and close the doors, please?"

"Red, light please?" she then asked as we were plunged back into darkness again.

The dragon lazily complied, and _poof_ there was light and heat once more.

"Hiccup," she then said turning to me. "We're busted . . . maybe even dead. But last night, here . . . it was one of the most romantic things you've ever done for me. I _sooo_ needed last night with you."

"I'll never forget this," she assured, laying a hand on my bare shoulder. "I won't . . . and I mean that in a positive way. Thank you, and I love you, so much."

I laid her back down in our borrowed bed one more time, and kissed her, hard.

"Go for it, quickly," she smiled as we grabbed each other one more time.

Astrid and I finally emerged together a little later into the very cold light of that day, to face the music.

Somehow, I kept my job as Chief . . . even though I was _really_ ready to just hand it over to anyone else who wanted it. Astrid kept her trading responsibilities within her family as well. But even though we were adults, we each got chewed out. Astrid cried in my arms after her mother had talked to her.

"I'm sorry," I apologized as I held her.

"No," my wife sniffed. "No. Last night with you . . . it was so worth it."

We later found out most all of Astrid's family had been doing the same thing at times. They just didn't spend the whole night there . . . and get caught, especially by Ingrid, the next morning.

But our marital drought resumed, even when our parents were elsewhere at times . . .

"Mommy? Daddy? What you doing in the tub now?" we'd hear instead. That would stop us cold, every time.

As much as we loved him, Eric's sensitive hearing and inquisitive nature didn't exactly help Astrid and I to keep our own love alive.

A number of things were somehow combining to press on, even fray, the marriage between my wife and I somewhat. A few nights, we would each come home, and just look at each other in disappointment and frustration, wondering how things had gotten this way between us. One night, Astrid wouldn't even let me touch her. She apologized later. We ended up holding each other sadly but tightly, and tried our best to reconnect under the covers again.

— — — — —

Thankfully today however, it was summer once more. Our family was enjoying our first trip of the season to the cove . . . alone, without parents or in-laws! And we were all drawing pictures in the sand in front of our cove house.

Astrid chose to basically sit in my lap as we drew together, giving me looks every once in a while. Finally though, she leaned over towards my ear.

"I am _not_ losing you, or us!" she whispered, to make sure I was getting the message behind her glances. "I don't know how we're going to fix this, but this summer we are, okay?"

I dropped the stick I was drawing with for a moment, and put both my arms around my wife. "Okay . . ." I quietly promised with a tear in my eye.

"Mommy? Daddy? Why aren't you drawing?" we both heard our son ask.

Astrid and I both closed our eyes and touched our foreheads together.

"Stay with me here on this, please?" my wife whispered to me.

Finding a new source of strength in me, "I am right beside you," I promised as I kissed her. "Let's do this thing . . . and have fun, okay?"

"Deal," my wife accepted.

"That's because Mommy and I are done," I explained, turning to Eric. "This is Toothless . . ."

"And here is Mommy and Daddy," my wife picked up, as she applied finishing touches to the figures in the sand she had drawn, " . . . and here's little Eric!"

"Where's Toofess'es wittle one?" our son asked, as he then tried to draw a simple 'little Toothless' with its wings spread.

My wife and I almost cried when we saw that, thinking of Fury and the offspring she had likely given birth to. We had never seen her again since the night she left us, and Toothless, at Stormgolt.

When Toothless saw that little figure next to the one of him I had drawn, he dropped the tree branch he was about to start drawing with. He knew what that figure represented, and just closed his eyes for a moment.

"I'm sorry, buddy," I apologized. "We didn't mean to upset you. You don't need to see that," I said about to wipe the sand clean of that figure.

Toothless suddenly snarled as I was about to wipe my hand across the figure of little Toothless, scaring our Eric somewhat. Toothless' reaction stopped me, and Eric's stopped him. Toothless immediately nudged our crying little Eric with his big, black snout, trying to comfort him. Astrid now took Eric comfortingly into our laps together and Toothless moved to practically wrap himself around us all as we gathered close together and looked at the figure of little Toothless in the sand my son had drawn. I looked at my remorseful dragon next to me, and silently laid a hand on his head in understanding and support.

"It's okay, Eric," Astrid assured him. "Toothless does have a little Toothless out there, somewhere. We just don't know where that is. Toothless feels sad about that, as we do, too."

"It okay, Toofess," Eric said, turning to him, now drying his tears. "I be your wittle Toofess," he assured, as he now got up and wobbled a couple steps to hug Toothless around his nose next to me.

All three of us grownups, dragon and human alike, cried together at those precious words.

— — — — —

I had fond memories of that episode, but I paid it little mind, until one afternoon a few weeks later in the village.

"How you doing, Ruffnut?" I asked as I passed her.

"I am sooo good," Ruffnut sighed as she paused, cradling her newborn daughter now . . . beside her own devoted husband, Johann, that she'd found during a trading voyage among the Franks down south.

"Goedendag, Johann," I greeted him.

"Hel-lo, Hic-cup" he quietly greeted me in my language.

Astrid and I had helped Ruffnut welcome Johann to our village when he arrived with her over two years ago now, speaking virtually not a word of our language. Astrid's sea captain brother, and his own Frankish wife, had been the bridges that initially helped Ruffnut and Johann understand and get to know one another. But words weren't needed all that much for each of them to see something special in each other.

Having never been much of a student before, Ruffnut had quickly worked to become a decent Frankish speaker during their voyage home to us. It turned out to be a promise she had made to him, in exchange for him coming with her back to Berk.

"I am _not_ letting him get away," I'd overheard Ruffnut confess to Astrid one day after her return.

Turns out the tall, slender Johann was a metal smith and carpenter, somewhat like me . . . a valuable addition to our village, not to mention what he meant to Ruffnut. He'd left conscription in a Frankish army, and actually welcomed the chance to leave Francia with her. Ruffnut kept her promise to learn his language anyway.

But her former sadness, her mismatch with Snotlout . . . it all seemed like ancient history now. I just smiled as I watched them go, her dream having come true.

"Hiccup," Astrid said, rushing to me, interrupting my thoughts. "You need to get Toothless and come with me and Needles!"

"What is it?" I asked, surprised.

"Come, it's something I've been hoping he could see for a while now!" she urged. "Our son's fine with my mother. Hurry!"

I found Toothless lazily sunning himself next to our village house, enjoying an afternoon off from safeguarding Eric, with our son in his grandmother's care. Ingrid and Toothless just could not get along when it came to raising Eric, so things just worked better giving Ingrid the occasional day with Eric.

"Toothless, let's fly!" I invited, as I went to fetch his saddle and tail rig.

Soon we were in the air, joined by my wife on her Nadder, with a good saddle that fit well. Although it had taken me a while to get around to making it after the Stormgolt battle, amid both being chief, and being inundated with orders for saddles and dragon gear by other riders . . . I always looked with both relief and gratitude that my wife was now riding Needles safely in a saddle.

"Right this way!" Astrid breathlessly invited.

"But you're leading us to the dragon's island," I noted.

"I know!" she said.

Toothless and I looked at each other, but followed her anyway.

Soon we were circling and landing on a stretch of beach on the far side of the dragon's island. It seemed like there were fewer dragons around here, as the usual chatter that comes from a colony of dragons was much quieter here, almost absent.

Toothless did his customary look around in caution after we landed . . . but then his gaze stopped as he looked down the beach.

"There it is," my wife quietly smiled as both she and I dismounted from our dragons.

It literally was a little Toothless.

Toothless gave out a very soft grunt. His eyes looked warm and hopeful.

"Go to him . . . or her," I invited.

Toothless began cautiously moving towards what could well be his offspring, while Astrid and I just sat down on the beach beside Needles, and watched.

"Oh this is beautiful," Astrid marveled. "I've been making periodic trips out here at odd times for weeks after I was inspired to from our drawing episode at our cove home, and I just found this little one today. I knew Toothless had to come see this right away."

"You did good, Astrid," I warmly assured, giving her a kiss as she leaned against me.

"Thanks," she accepted looking at me, before snuggling beside me as we both watched a miracle unfold before us.

Toothless gave another soft grunt, announcing his approach to the little Night Fury. The little Fury croaked back, seeming not afraid of Toothless, but actually curious. It slowly came up to him. Soon, they were nudging noses, as each closed their eyes.

My wife and I hugged each other more tightly at the sight.

Suddenly, we heard a roar from the skies, before a small blast exploded against the base of the bluffs near us.

The mother Night Fury swooped in, now landing near her offspring, and snarling menacingly at Toothless. Toothless did not snarl back, however, but merely stood his ground next to the little Night Fury.

We saw the mother Fury eye Toothless' saddle and tail rig. Her expression now softened. She now moved forward and sniffed his saddle. Toothless allowed it as he sniffed her. The mother Night Fury now backed away a little, but looked at Toothless with more relaxed eyes.

"Oh come on, Fury!" my wife quietly said, now being sure of who the other Night Fury really was. "Give Toothless a break for Thor's sake! You're his mate!"

Toothless moved his nose forward towards Fury and closed his eyes, inviting her to a nudge. The little Fury nudged against the side of his face again as he did. But Fury herself held out, unsure.

Not being able to stand it anymore, Astrid got up to walk over towards Toothless and Fury.

"Astrid! Get down!" I said, grabbing her leg. "Fury didn't like you before! What makes you think she'll tolerate you now, especially with a child to protect?"

"It's not fair on Toothless!" Astrid protested.

"I know," I agreed. "Even Toothless knows that. But Fury is still wild, Astrid. That's what is."

Just as Fury was finally about to give in and nudge Toothless though, she saw us. With a loud, cautionary roar, Fury quickly gestured to her offspring, and the two of them spread their wings and flew away.

I got up now, too, and Astrid and I walked along the beach to Toothless, as he watched Fury and her offspring now fly away.

Toothless had the saddest look in his eyes as he watched them go. He then looked at me. He had seen his child, even bonded with it for a brief instant. But then he had his heart broken all over again.

I knelt down and stretched my arms around his head, just holding him. He sadly moaned a little. As only a true companion could, I bore witness to his sadness.

"I'm so sorry I screwed it up for you, Toothless," Astrid tearfully apologized as she now embraced him, too.

"Hiccup, what can we do?" my wife asked me as we both consoled Toothless.

"Toothless' bonding with me was a result of his accident and handicap," I now realized aloud. "If I hadn't injured him, he likely never would have allowed me to get to know him. I now think Night Furies are the perhaps the one breed of dragon we'll never be able to work with, apart from Toothless. They're just too smart, too independent, and too wild."

"If we can't get to know them," Astrid thought, "then let's allow them to get to know us, to watch us just be with Toothless. Maybe his offspring will at least be more comfortable around us if he sees one of his own with us."

"What are you suggesting, Astrid?" I asked.

"We start camping here," she said, "whenever we can."

"Astrid!" I objected.

"Toothless has given everything he has, everything he is, for our family!" my wife firmly reminded me. "We owe him all we can to bring him close to his family . . . at least a shot at it! What would you want to do if our places were reversed, huh? What if Toothless was you and you were Toothless, and I was Fury? What would you want Toothless to do for you then?"

"I'm chief now, Astrid!" I objected. "I can't just leave our village for big chunks of the season . . . much as I'd actually like to!"

"Not every day and night," she said, "just sometimes. We help Toothless show Fury what family, even love and dedication can be about."

"We tried that, when we found her, before the battle at Stormgolt," I noted. "It didn't work then."

"That was just two days, Hiccup!" Astrid replied. "Did you win Toothless' confidence in just the first two days?"

"No," I admitted.

"Just a few days and nights a month," she proposed. "We come here, and camp. Intelligent creatures are curious creatures. Once they know we don't mean them any harm, Fury and her son will want to check us out. Give Toothless this chance to get to know and bond with the family that's already his, please?"

"Toothless, what do you want to do?" I asked him. "Home that way . . . or little Toothless here?"

Toothless looked up into the sky for a moment. Fury and her offspring were still up there, circling. He watched them, emitting a single grunt. He then looked at me, before returning his gaze to them.

"How am I gonna explain this to the village?" I asked. "Being gone like this . . . especially as Chief?"

"You're also Dragon Master," Astrid reminded me. "If we're going to protect ourselves against other fortress tribes like Stormgolt, we need to learn how to train and work with other Night Furies besides Toothless. You spent a lot of time away from Berk to work with your Night Fury, so it's important to the village's security that you be permitted to do so, now."

— — — — —

I wound up saying almost those exact words to a village meeting at the Mead Hall the very next day.

"My son's right," my father spoke up, as a village elder. "If we can't protect ourselves from the likes of Stormgolt in the future by being able to threaten them, there's little hope for us as more of those fortresses are built elsewhere. I can still help supervise things here. It's not like I haven't done it all before. Working with dragons . . . it's what you do best, Hiccup. It's what we need you to do."

And so, I was suddenly free to spend the whole rest of the summer season out on the dragon's island.

My wife couldn't wait to get started, and I was ready for a change, too.

"Astrid," I said to her as we were finishing packing our belongings one afternoon, "this isn't just for Toothless, is it?"

"No," she said, coming to me and laying a hand on my face. "This is for us, too. I need this, and I know you do as well."

I took my wife into my arms and held her tightly.

"Yeah," she whispered in my ear, smiling.

Now I couldn't wait to get started either.


	18. Bonus Chapter 2

I was smiling as I flew onboard Toothless all the way back to Dragon Island. I could feel an upbeat attitude in him as well.

"I'm free!" I cheered.

Astrid and Eric flew close next to us, with Astrid smiling and shaking her head. "Is leading and protecting our village that bad?" my wife asked.

"Yes!" I quipped right then.

"Really?" she asked.

"I'm trapped spending my days worrying about sheep and fish and vegetable counts," I responded, "settling disputes between villagers, making sure records and chronicles are accurate and up to date, supervising dragon bonding and training, and so many other things. Not to mention everyone still wanting me to make more dragon gear, even though I've been trying to pass that off to Johann."

"Do you think it's been affecting us . . . our marriage?" Astrid hesitantly followed up.

"Yeah," I said, looking down.

"Let's work on that then," my wife suggested, "after you-know-who goes to sleep."

"You're talking about me!" Eric chimed in as he sat, strapped in front of Astrid on Needles.

"What if we are?" my wife gently asked. "Mommy and Daddy have a life together, too, you know. And it doesn't always involve our little Eric, okay?"

"What you mean?" he asked.

"Oh boy," Astrid sighed, suddenly feeling caught.

"Mommies and daddies like to spend some time alone together," I said firmly as a father. "We just do, alright?"

Eric just went silent now. Astrid gave me a look, like I was answering him too hard or harshly.

"Just trying to help," I said with a shrug, and leaving it at that.

We all soon landed on the same beach where we had found the little Night Fury . . . what Astrid would soon name Little Toothless. This beach would now become our home for the summer. Although it would seem barren, even desolate to most anyone else, the place seemed full of promise and possibility for me as I dismounted from Toothless.

"Welcome home," a voice said as soothing arms encircled me from behind.

"Astrid . . ." I sighed. Suddenly, it felt like I was even getting my wife back here as well.

I turned to embrace her.

"Mommy! Daddy! Come look at this!" we both heard.

Even before I could embrace her, Astrid now pulled away. The arms I savoured around me were now gone, too.

"What is it, Eric?" the wife I wanted to love, to reconnect with, said . . . hiding her disappointment.

I just sat down on the beach and watched her go over to my son. Even Toothless could tell something was wrong with me, coming over to nudge me. I was suddenly so disappointed. I loved my son, but I wanted my wife back — the one I had lived so blissfully with four winters ago now.

Astrid briefly looked over at me as she knelt down next to Eric as he eagerly pointed something out to her. I let her see my disappointment, even my hurt. I could tell part of her wanted to come back to me right then. But since neither one of us could easily explain what we were feeling to our son . . . the mother in her kept Astrid by his side instead of mine, trying to have an interest in what he was showing her.

I just looked out to sea now as Toothless watched me with concern, even murmuring supportively to me.

"Thanks, bud," I quietly said as I gratefully stroked the side of his head. I leaned against my dragon friend, even burying my head against my knees for a moment as I struggled to regain a grip on myself, before looking up again.

Unfortunately, I could see the supply ships that we had sent out from Berk approaching our beach. Any opportunity to start reconnecting with Astrid would be lost for now anyway.

The cloud, the obstacles that had been dogging our marriage had already followed us here.

_Just work, _I told myself. Time to set up camp, and build a house, while we had the labour of the crews manning those ships, before they departed again.

"Hiccup," I heard, interrupting my thoughts. "Come join your family, my love."

Astrid was holding out a hand for me. I reluctantly got up and went over to her, as our son was holding up an interesting seashell.

"He won't be little forever," she whispered to me, "but you will always have me, okay?"

I looked at her with understanding, even giving her a kiss.

"Just be with us," she asked. "Love is right here for us, too."

"Alright," I accepted, smiling a little for the moment.

Soon the ships were beaching, and it was time, for me at least, to get down to work.

Adapting parts of several run-down ships that we hauled up on the beach, the crews and I quickly began built a house right on that beach. The hills were barren on the dragon's island where we were now, and I missed having forests around and the wood they provided. But I quickly learned to begin working with sod and dirt, sand and rocks to build a foundation and side walls under one overturned ship hull, after we had set it up on several support timbers.

After hours of hard work, we took a break for dinner. But as I looked for them, Astrid and Eric were nowhere to be seen. I didn't want to feel I was competing with my own son; but I couldn't help feeling I was coming in second, or even last, again in Astrid's priorities.

I sat down by myself and basically stewed, along with my stew.

"Sorry I've been gone," I heard a voice say as a presence settled down next to me amid the continuing busyness of our campsite. "Eric's shell-hunting actually found us a good bed of clams not far from here," Astrid said. "Want some fresh chowder?"

"No thanks," I sighed. "I already have stew here."

"And don't worry about interruptions," she added. "My mom is here, watching our son for now."

I don't know what brought it to the surface, but it had been building in me for some time. And for some reason, I just let it out.

"I'm tired of being disappointed," I just said flatly without looking at Astrid.

"I understand," she replied, a little surprised, but moving closer to me anyway. "Go on, I'm listening . . ."

"You're disarming me here," I sighed. "Don't you get it? I'm trying to be mad . . . at least disappointed."

"Go on, I'm listening," she repeated as she moved behind me and began kissing my neck. "Say whatever you need to. Just let it out."

"I can't when you're doing that to me," I cautioned, looking down — torn between my frustration, and a desire for passion I knew couldn't be fulfilled in the here and now.

"I know," she said, as she now began kissing the other side of my neck. "Go on anyway . . ."

"Why do you torture me like this?" I asked. "When you know we can't do anything with it here?"

"A little loving pleasure and intimacy is better than none, don't you think?" she gently suggested. "Just let me soothe and relax you a little, and it'll be better."

"_Will it?_" I angrily erupted. I loved Astrid. Yet even here on this island, I could foresee her and I slipping further and further apart, with no one helping us to stay together or giving us the time we needed alone, apart from our son — my beloved but overly-inquisitive son who wouldn't be leaving us alone, for the rest of the summer we would be on this island!

"I love my son," I sadly said. "But it basically means I don't get to love you anymore, not like we used to."

"Yes you do," Astrid assured as she tried to rub my shoulders.

"No, I don't!" I sharply responded, now getting up and laying my uneaten stew aside.

"Don't, Hiccup," she replied. "Don't do this to us . . . not to me, please."

"Moments like this . . . apologies," I said, "just hiding our love under the covers, and pretending it doesn't exist for long stretches the rest of the time? It's not enough anymore."

"Hiccup, stop . . . please," I heard Astrid say.

"Toothless," I said, walking away without looking at her. "Let's go. I gotta fly. I'm gonna scout out the island," I excused to Astrid behind me. "I'll be back . . . later."

I unemotionally climbed up into Toothless' saddle. He gave me a look — a cautionary, almost warning look, like I was making a big mistake. Toothless then grunted and gestured with his head back towards Astrid, before just lying down on the ground. He wasn't going to fly for me, not like this . . . to just run away and leave my wife in tears.

That stopped me. I trusted this dragon with my life. How could I not trust him to safeguard my heart and soul, and everything — and everyone — I cared about, as well?

"Alright, buddy," I said, able to smile at him a little as I patted his neck. "I'll listen to you."

I got off him, and walked back over, feeling ashamed as I sat down next to Astrid, who now had her head sadly buried in her arms as they rested on her knees as Toothless watched us both.

"Toothless prevented me from really screwing up again this time," I sighed, looking out at the twilight sea. "He went on a sit down strike. He wouldn't take off."

That caused Astrid to laugh a little amid her tears as she kept her head buried in her arms.

"I want you back," she sniffed, finally at least able to look up again beside me, out towards the sea.

I strenuously resisted replying with a sarcastic and hurtful, 'Really?' or 'Duh!' Instead, I got up and repositioned myself behind her.

"Lean back," I invited, striving to live my vows of focusing on her, instead of how screwed up I was feeling.

When she accepted my invitation and started to lean back against me, I wrapped my arms around her, hard.

"I'm sorry," I tearfully whispered.

"Thank you," she said with a tear in her eye as she shifted herself around sideways, like she usually did in baths with me.

"You know how hard it is to embrace you like this with your armour on?" I sadly joked.

"I'll strip bare for you . . . right now, if you want . . . in front of this crew, even my mom and our son," she offered. "That's how much I want to keep you."

I just worked my arms around her shoulder armour, and endured her skirt spikes digging right through my pants into my upper legs as I took her and kissed her hard. Astrid kissed me right back, with equal ferocity.

"_I am not losing you!"_ she said with quiet intensity as she reached over her own shoulders and began pulling at her armoured top.

"No," I said, shaking my head and stopping her. "Astrid, I love you too much to allow you, or make you feel like you have to do something like this to hold onto me. Gods . . . help us," I now said tearfully as I embraced my wife tightly again.

"Take me somewhere," my wife invited as she cried against me as well. "Anywhere."

I looked at my dragon friend.

"Toothless," I said with tears in my eyes, "would you help us out here?"

He got right back up on his legs again now and partially spread his wings, ready to go.

"Let me take you, Astrid . . . for a ride," I invited. "Let me just show you, like it all began for us."

"I love you," she tearfully sighed as we helped each other to our feet.

"You're so beautiful," I sighed as I straightened her armoured top again.

Astrid could only tearfully smile.

We walked over together to Toothless now, looking at each other. I stepped up into his saddle, and felt my wife ease in right behind me.

As soon as she was settled, and even before I could tell him to, Toothless vaulted off with us into the sky.

"Yeah!" my wife cheered behind me as she gripped me hard. "Toothless, give me the works! Just like you did the first time!"

"I'm not sure you should have . . ." I started to say before Toothless just pulled into a near-vertical climb, and began spinning wildly. I could only grip the saddle with both my hands and legs as I struggled to keep up with his rapidly changing moves in adjusting his tailfin, trusting that Astrid had a good grip on me. Her skirt spikes pressing against, even into, my upper legs and rear end — not to mention her shoulder armour digging into my shoulders — assured me though that she did.

At least her arms felt good around me.

Toothless then pulled a sharp reverse turn and plunged us down towards the surface of the ocean, spinning again in glee.

"Please . . . ease off . . . the spinning thing," I asked, beginning to feel pretty queasy now. "Oh no . . ." I now said, noticing we weren't leveling off. "Hang on!" I yelled as we both took deep breaths.

We didn't just splash into the water this time . . . we dove right into and under it, before Toothless reversed again and vaulted us back into the air, pulling and climbing hard back into the sky with his wings. I could tell he was just having a grand old time.

"You gotta be careful how you encourage this guy," I cautioned Astrid.

"Are you kidding?" she asked breathlessly as she continued gripping me hard. "This is GREAT!"

"WHOA! DUCK!" I yelled, as Toothless banked around the edge of a sea stack, barely missing it.

"Enjoy this with me . . . please?" Astrid asked in my ear.

"Okay," I said, shaking my head. "Toothless . . . go! Just go!"

I really shouldn't have said that.

He took off, first climbing again high into the sky with all his might . . . and then zooming back down, drawing in his wings like it was an attack run. He leveled off and zig-zagging right through some more sea stacks, turning sharply again just for the heck of it, before finally exhausting himself and soaring smoothly over open waters near the island as the moon rose in the east.

"Toothless," my wife now said, "we've had fun here . . ."

"Well some of us have," I interjected. I couldn't help smiling though.

"Liar," Astrid lovingly quipped in my ear. "But Toothless, we're getting cold," she then continued to him. "Would you find us someplace warm?"

"Great . . ." I sighed as he then plunged us into a hole in the island, "the Dragon Cave."

"You gotta admit," Astrid replied with a smile as she nuzzled my ear, "it is warm in here."

"And sulfurous, and noxious . . ." I picked up.

"Toothless, set us down somewhere, would you?" she then asked as he circled before headed us for a ledge. "And how about you give us just a little privacy as we try and dry ourselves off here?"

"Wait, you're not . . ." I said as we all landed on a ledge overlooking the volcanic cauldron below.

"We're in a place said to be the lair of demons . . ." Astrid replied as she quickly dismounted from the saddle, practically hauling me off Toothless as well, as I managed to quickly unfasten my harness from the saddle. "I just feel like letting my bad side come out to play right now . . ." she continued as she began unfastening her armour, while Toothless, to my amazement, just took off without either of us aboard and made himself scarce elsewhere in the cave. "You wanted your Astrid back?" she continued. "You have her . . . _all of her_."

"Toothless, where you going?" I asked, suddenly feeling a strange sense of panic amid what would otherwise be my dreams coming true. "How're we gonna get out of here? You can't fly without us!"

"There is nooo escape now," Astrid said breathlessly as she now came for me. "No escape . . ." she whispered as she began kissing me.

"I guess I could get used to this . . . here . . . in Hell . . ." I mumbled weakly as her lips just smothered mine.

Finally, Astrid allowed me to come up for air for a moment. She looked at me openly, wantonly. Her features were illuminated only by the orange light of the molten lava fortunately far below us in the cave.

"Okay . . . I'm in," I said as I now fiercely grabbed her by surprise and gently laid her down on the volcanic sands around us on that ledge. "Hell, with you? I am sooo in . . ."

As we laid our clothes underneath us as blankets and pillows amid surroundings that were steamy in more ways than one, I could not believe I was reconnecting with my wife, with Astrid, like this. My entire being, my very soul, was so hungry for her — and she seemed equally starved for being alone with me, too.

"Thank you . . ." I breathlessly said to her at one point. "Thank you, so much."

"What makes you think I'm not just as grateful?" Astrid replied before she earnestly kissed me again.

I chose not to even try to answer her as we continued to kiss. That we were surrounded by dozing wild dragons on other ledges in the cave as Astrid and I sated our hungers for each other, it didn't bother me one bit.

— — — — —

There were no stars to look at, and the air was thick with sulfurous odors and volcanic fumes . . . but my wife and I couldn't be happier as we now relaxed together in the Dragon cave, loosely covered by my chief's cloak.

"Well, we've been to Heaven, and now to Hell together," Astrid sighed in my arms.

"I can't tell the difference," I replied.

We both laughed.

Our dragon chaperone gave us the privacy we were craving for a while longer . . . returning at just the right time when we called, and making sure we got our happily exhausted selves back to camp in time for a night's rest.

Astrid insisted on sitting sideways in my lap for the flight home however, against my better judgment. Thankfully, she had lifted her skirt spikes _over_ my legs, before sitting herself down.

"Toothless won't let anything happen to me," she assured. "Besides, he caught me in the air once anyway — right here at this island, remember? But we . . . you and I," she continued, "are gonna make this work, okay? So no more freaking out or eruptions, deal?"

"Deal," I sighed. "I'm just glad to have you back, Astrid . . . demonic side and all."

"Especially my demonic side," she smiled as she kissed me again. "Don't you ever forget that's inside of me . . . just below the surface, and just for you."

"I think I'll remember," I assured.

"Even when little Eric demands my or our attention?" she asked openly.

I hesitated.

"I know," she said understandingly as she kissed me again.

"I'll remember," I promised, "even then. And I won't give up on us."

"Never, ever give up on me, please," she quietly begged.

All too soon, we landed back at our beach camp, and it was time for Astrid and I to reassume our parental and public personas again.

"You've spoiled your son!" Ingrid came up to us, carrying him in frustration. "He won't sleep by himself, just as I warned you."

"He's our son," I said, gladly taking him into my arms. "We'll take care of him."

"Come on, family," I invited, "let's get some sleep. Toothless?"

Our dragon readily lay down, forming a comfortable curve on the sand for us to bed down against. Ingrid just watched amazed, as my wife, son and I just shed some of our garments, laid down, and allow ourselves to be wrapped inside Toothless' protective wing. I could hear Ingrid just sighing and trudging back to her small tent.

"I love our family," Astrid sighed next to me under Toothless' wing. "I love you, Eric, and I love you, my husband. Thank you, Hiccup, and thank you, Toothless, for our dragon ride tonight."

"Thanks, buddy," I added as I patted his side. "And I love you all, too."

"Goodnight," Eric just had to chime in, getting the last word.

I started to drift off to sleep, laying my face against Astrid's warm head and hair, and feeling reconnected with my family . . . especially with Astrid.

We could hear the distant roar of a Night Fury in the skies. Toothless looked up.

"Tomorrow, bud," I assured. "We'll start looking for them tomorrow, okay?"

Toothless sighed and laid his head back down. I could feel his one big open eye just looking at us though. I turned my head, and sure enough . . . there it was, staring right back at me.

"You alright, buddy?" I asked, as I cradled my wife and son next to me.

His eye just slowly closed. Toothless was keeping his thoughts and dreams to himself tonight.

I reached over and rubbed his side supportively one more time. At least I had my mate and child with me.


	19. Bonus Chapter 3

The next day, the house was basically finished, and Astrid, Eric, Toothless, Needles, and I bid farewell to everyone for the summer.

I sighed happily, wrapping my arms around my wife from behind.

"It's just us again now," Astrid also sighed in front of me . . . without her armour this time . . . just a couple layers of much softer tunics and leg wraps.

She turned her head, and our lips were almost meeting, when . . .

"And me!" Eric chimed in, looking up, right at us.

No kiss . . . again. Astrid and I both just looked out to sea instead at the departing ships, as she patted and rubbed my hand in front of her waist in understanding.

"Let's just get to work," I sighed. "There's more to do."

I started to let go of my wife. She just turned to me though and laid a hand on my face, shaking her head in a silent 'no'. While Eric was wobbling a few steps down the beach again, facing away from us, Astrid stole a kiss with me.

I looked at her coolly . . . letting her know that wasn't enough. She silently nodded, looking down, but then concurred with me, "Let's get to work."

— — — — —

Even just working beside my wife though was better than working apart from her, the way we had been back in the village. I began to notice that she liked the wildflowers that were now growing on the hills of this island. She had collected some that day, arranging them in a mug to enjoy inside our house. So the next day I picked some, before inviting her to sit down next to me on a break on a hill overlooking our beach home. When she did, I began gently threading the flowers into her hair underneath her leather headband.

She looked beautiful to me all over again as she smiled and we kissed on that hillside. With those flowers in there, her hair smelled even more wonderful, too.

"Thank you," she sighed as she leaned back against me on that hillside, and we just watched our son play with Toothless on the beach below.

"You're welcome . . . and you're right," I said, massaging her shoulders before embracing her again. "Love can be found in simple, even totally innocent, pleasures."

"But I know you want more though," she warmly conceded. "I do, too. I just haven't figured out how we can do that here yet."

"Well, these softer tunics you're wearing certainly help," I admired.

"What, not in love with my sharp edges anymore?" she quipped.

"I love this Astrid, too," I said, inhaling the floral fragrance now of her hair. "I love her . . . I love you, so much."

"Hiccup . . . I wish I could give in to you, right now," she sighed, looking at me and holding a hand to my face.

"I'm not asking for that here," I assured. "I'm not, trust me. There are times I am . . . that I want to love you that way . . . but this isn't one of them. I'm happy with you, just like this."

"Is there anything I can do for you?" she gently asked.

"Nope," I assured as I leaned and gave her a kiss. "Not a thing . . . not right now."

"Hiccup . . ." she sighed, charmed as she caressed my face again.

"But let's work on getting this slope terraced some more," I suggested, wanting to keep my desires under control this time. "The sun will be going down before too long. It'd be nice to grow some vegetables for your wonderful chowders and stews."

"I owe you," she quietly said, " . . . all of me again, sometime."

"Sometime . . ." I agreed, embracing her tightly from behind and kissing her one more time before we got up again.

Before long, Astrid and I had a garden growing on a hillside, as well as goats and sheep grazing on the surrounding grass. We just had to bring them in under the cover of a shelter every night to prevent them from being picked off by the occasional wild dragon. Plus, we had plenty of fish around to catch and eat, not to mention the clams that Eric had discovered. This place, although exposed to most any storm that came along, was more bountiful than our cove was. I began to allow myself to wish we could stay here somehow, beyond summer . . . even though I knew that wasn't realistic.

Toothless would spend whole days on the beach in front of our home now, watching our son while Astrid and I worked, while he also watched the skies and surrounding rocks for his child and mate, which he would only catch glimpses of. Seeing the longing in his eyes as he'd spot them, I felt for him.

"Okay," Astrid said one day as we basically finished setting everything up. "The plan is we just keep going about our business here. Fury and Little Toothless have already been watching almost everything we do, either from the sky, or from nearby rocks, and I've seen how they've been watching Toothless care for Eric. They will start coming around here. We just ignore them at first and let them do what they like. We gradually start talking with them and being friendly towards them . . . that's as far as I've been able to figure out so far."

"You want to be Dragon Master now?" I asked.

"I can have ideas," she defended. "Besides, this has been kind of my project. I just didn't want to sleep alone out here at night, and Toothless is always where you are anyway."

"Well," I sighed, "you did get me out here to some nice peace and quiet. I do prefer our wooded cove . . . but this place is growing on me."

"Like we can ever get my mom and your dad out of our house there at the cove anymore . . . at least during summers!" Astrid smiled.

"We did now," I quipped. "They're having to run the village again!"

— — — — —

Our best discovery though on this volcanic island, was a large hot springs pool we found among the hills near our home one day . . . large enough for even Toothless and our Nadder to soak in. When I first dipped a finger in, amazingly, the water wasn't too hot. It was juuust right!

We soon began making the short hike after our day's chores in the evening, and all take a soak. Ever the guardian, Toothless would ensure that Eric either stayed safely on his neck, or with us, or in the shallows of the hot springs. Tonight, Toothless was giving Eric rides on his tail, as he dragged it side to side through the warm water, while Needles was just dozing with her head laying at the edge of the pool.

I was on the other side of the large pool, trying again to rekindle some romance between Astrid and I. The water was as warm as our bath tub, and had been stirring both memories and desires within me practically every time we'd been visiting so far, but . . .

"What gives, Astrid?" I asked as she pulled away from another kiss, even though I pretty much knew what the reason was.

"Well, our son is right over there," she quietly noted, looking at him. "He talks now. He sees us, and he asks questions I just don't want to answer yet . . . especially since that one morning he discovered us under the covers while we thought he was outside playing with Toothless. I know I've made promises, but . . ."

"You're hedging again," I cautioned, whispering in her ear. "But don't you at least think he deserves a little brother or sister?" I tried to ask, really digging for a convincing reason, but almost ready to just give up . . . again, despite my past pledges not to. If she was going to renege on her promises, why should I try all that hard to keep mine?

"You didn't have to carry and give birth to him," she replied with more than a little irritation, "or do most of the feeding, changing, washing . . . shall I go on? Remember I originally never wanted to be a housegirl or housewife, just a warrior."

"Astrid, that's not the real reason," I noted. "Plus, I've been responsible for a good portion of his care at times . . . especially in the beginning, after you had given birth to him. You just eventually took over, with you and your mother saying I wasn't doing a lot of it right. But you're right," I sighed, just figuring it wasn't worth a battle here, " . . . and I'm wrong. I'm sorry."

I now simply turned away from her, and stretched out as I tried to content myself just soaking in the warm waters. Once again, she was wimping out on me because of our son. She knew it, and so did I. But calling her on it wouldn't help, and I still found love for her within me. So I decided to just let it, and her, slide. Maybe a magic night with her once in a rare while was all I could expect as a parent now, even when taking a soak.

Astrid looked down for a moment.

"Hiccup," she sighed, looking at me again, " . . . how do you put up with me at times?"

I looked at her for a moment. I was about to say, 'Because I promised to.' But that didn't feel like anywhere near a good enough answer. I felt I had to be careful here. The conversation was feeling 'edgy' to me now.

"I love your sharp edges, remember?" I finally replied, trying to smile . . . all for her, because I did love her.

Astrid now turned to me and embraced and kissed me hard, without reservation. I returned her embrace, burying my cheek against the hair on the side of her head and closing my eyes, breathing a sigh of relief.

"I'm sorry we keep losing touch with each other," she then admitted as she moved and touched her forehead to mine. "We keep trying and trying to reconnect, to keep it going . . . but my own fears and reservations keep getting in the way."

"And our lovable son keeps finding or interrupting us at just the wrong times," I whispered as well.

"Hiccup . . ." my wife sighed, looking longingly at me.

"Astrid . . . I'm sorry, too," I warmly continued. "I'm in this with you. I promised I would be . . . and I'm keeping that promise. I'm sorry I'm giving you a hard time here."

"It's not anything you don't richly deserve . . . and that I don't enjoy, too," Astrid noted. "But is Eric looking at us?"

"Yeah," I sighed, ready to let her go again. "Toothless is still giving him tail rides, but yeah, he is."

She now remained close to me however, nestling her head against my neck. I gratefully held her tighter.

"I miss the 'us' we used to be before we got busy being parents and village leaders," she sighed.

"I know," I agreed.

"Even though I've been right next to you a lot of the time, especially here," she continued, whispering in my ear, "I've missed you. I've missed being close to you . . . the way we once could be, whenever we wanted."

"That was four winters ago," I reminisced.

"I'm tired of missing you, Hiccup," Astrid decided as she looked at me once more. "You good at holding your breath . . . underwater?"

"Wish I was," I smiled regretfully.

We laughed gently together as we kissed again.

"It's okay," she sighed.

"Yeah, it is okay," I suggested, giving her a soft kiss, "I'm right here. Toothless is keeping our son busy, waaay over there . . . he's no longer looking . . ."

" . . . And Fury and Little Toothless are right over there," Astrid whispered very quietly now, looking off in another direction.

For some reason, that hit me like a shock as I turned my head to look as well. Even Toothless now stopped swooshing Eric through the water on his tail, and brought him back closer to protect him as we all looked at our visitors who had suddenly appeared near the edge of our hot springs pool.

Okay, if my romance with Astrid had to be interrupted, again . . . this was a good reason.

Astrid and I held our breaths, as Little Toothless boldly came to the water's edge, not to far away from his father, while Fury cautiously watched.

"Toothless, we'll take Eric," my wife quietly advised as she carefully swam over and took Eric into her arms. "Go say hi to your own child."

As my wife swam back to my side with our child, we watched the magic of another family begin to get reacquainted.

Toothless slowly moved over towards his offspring, gently splashing his own nose in the water and looking at him, inviting him in. For some reason, Little Toothless got overconfident and jumped right in . . . over his head!

Fury became alarmed, but before she could do anything, Toothless had already dipped his own head under the surface and pushed his son safely on top, raising him out of the water. Toothless looked funny with his offspring balanced on his head and part of his neck, and we humans couldn't help laughing. Fury thankfully relaxed somewhat. As Little Toothless began crawling along his father's neck and down his back to where it disappeared into the water, Toothless turned and looked at Fury.

I could tell from Fury's look that what Toothless was now doing with his, and her, offspring, was breaking every rule among her instincts. Clearly, Night Fury fathers normally had no role in raising their children. But she had seen how Toothless was with our Eric, and now with her own child.

As we watched, Astrid and I could almost sense that Fury might be ready to come in out of the cold of the solo existence she had known, even with her child . . . that maybe Toothless' way and his strange behavior with his smaller, pale-skinned companions might be something worth at least checking out, even dipping a toe into.

Which is exactly what she did. First one foot came into the water, then another, and another, as Fury very cautiously entered the pool, while Toothless calmly watched with large, encouraging eyes. Little Toothless just continued to play on his back, cautiously splashing at the edge of the warm water.

Fury noticed that Toothless didn't have his saddle and tail rig on this time. She moved closer to him and sniffed his back in curiosity. The two grown Night Furies now allowed their eyes to meet, and their noses to touch . . . for the first time in over three years. Their eyes gently closed together.

It was a sight that made both Astrid and I quietly shed tears of joy.

When they emerged from their long, lingering first nudge, Fury's eyes were finally softened. Toothless began nuzzling and even caressing Fury with his head, probably imitating behavior he had seen Astrid and I do at times in the baths we shared. Fury looked up at him uncertainly at first. But finally, she began to allow his caresses to soothe, even lull her as her eyes relaxed.

My wife now gripped me tightly and had to bite her lip, barely able to contain her joy at what we were seeing . . . and I wasn't far behind. But neither of us wanted to screw things up for Toothless this time.

"I think we should let them get reacquainted in private," my wife whispered earnestly to me. "Eric, sweetheart, we're gonna let Toothless and Fury and Little Toothless get to know each other again, okay? You'll sleep with us tonight. Say goodnight to Toothless very quietly now, alright?"

"Goodnight . . . Toofess," our son said as we quietly got out of the hot springs together.

"Needles, come!" my wife whispered and gestured to her as we all dried and dressed ourselves and gathered our things to go back down the hill.

Fortunately that Nadder of often little brain came out of the hot springs when called.

Our starting to leave seemed to concern Toothless however, as he now looked our way.

"Toothless . . . stay with Fury and your child for a while," I gently encouraged. "We're just going back down to home."

Toothless murmured with concern and began making motions to get out of the hot springs himself now.

"Astrid, stop," I said to my wife. "He just doesn't want us to leave him behind. His bond with us is too strong."

"Well," she sighed turning back towards me, "what do we do?"

"We're here to support him as he reconnects with his family, right?" I noted.

"Right," Astrid agreed.

"So we support him, right here," I decided. "Maybe he doesn't want privacy . . . at least from us."

Soon we were back in the hot springs, along with the Nadder again. Both Toothless and Fury were even sighing in apparent contentment, gently gazing at each other, while my wife and I were slowly turning into prunes in the water. We were at least sparing Eric from that as he played with rocks near us on the shore. It was getting dark now though.

"Soaking is fun . . . but," my wife sighed as she turned to me.

"Toothless," I finally excused as I invited my wife out of the water again. "Please stay as long you like, but my family and I are headed to bed."

Toothless looked at Fury. He wanted her and Little Toothless to come with him. He looked at her so calmly, so patiently, so lovingly, as his son was now dozing on his head.

Astrid and I hated to ruin this scene. She was looking as torn about it as I was feeling inside, while we dried and dressed each other. But we couldn't stay at the hot springs all night . . . well, maybe my wife and I might have for Toothless. But we had Eric to think about, too. We had to get out sometime though.

"Come on, Fury, please?" my wife quietly said, coming back to my side as we gathered and folded the sheepskins we'd dried ourselves with again.

Toothless closed his eyes and gave Fury one more nudge . . . almost a kiss goodnight. He sighed, looked up at his son on his head, and began tilting his head and starting to lay Little Toothless ever so gently on the ground beside the hot springs.

Fury now stopped him, nudging Little Toothless back onto Toothless' head and neck. She liked him up there. Little Toothless seemed to keep right on sleeping.

Fury now looked steadily at Toothless with calm, accepting eyes . . . inviting him to make the next move. Toothless now began to slowly get out of the hot springs. Fury followed beside him.

"Don't say a thing," Astrid coached in a whisper. "Let's just walk slowly down the trail back home, and see what happens," as she basically pushed the Nadder ahead of her.

My wife looked like she was silently praying, hard, all the way back down the hill to our home, as I carried a sleeping little Eric in a satchel on my back. Toothless was still carrying an equally sleepy Little Toothless on his head and neck behind me, as Fury was following him down the narrow trail we had made in the hillside. None of us wanted to break the spell that seemed to be quietly, delicately all around us.

We were now at the door to our home back on the beach . . . the real test. Would Fury come in? If she did, how would we all sleep? Would Toothless still want Eric to sleep with him, or would he choose his own son and mate? Fury could still be spooked and scared into doing anything, too.

"Okay," Astrid quietly said to me, as Needles just went over to her corner of the house, "they're entering our turf now. We go about as normal. Could you get Eric ready for bed? Separately with us this time, unless Toothless really insists otherwise. I'm going to heat up some mead tea for Toothless and Needles, and put out an extra bucket if Fury wants to try some. It might mellow her out."

I tried to go about our normal evening routine now as I watched for Toothless to enter our house. Soon, he did . . . with Little Toothless still asleep on his head. Fury was allowing it!

But would she follow in behind him?

Fury soon stuck her nose in the front door, but held there, hesitating. Toothless curled up in the middle of the floor where she could clearly see him. Using his tail to brace his son, Toothless carefully slid Little Toothless off of his head and nestled him within the curve of his body, just as he usually did with Eric. He looked at Little Toothless, and then at Fury, inviting her in to join him with a tilt of his head and his large, patient eyes . . . but no sound, lest he disturb his son.

Astrid now held her breath with two buckets of mead tea in her hands at the cooking area, as Fury now entered our house and passed by her. Fury stopped in front of Toothless, and seemed to sniff and examine her son in his care. Toothless just calmly let her do so. He was the perfect father and mate. I was so proud of him.

Still looking at him, but more calmly now, Fury laid down in front of Toothless, curving her body and tail as a crescent around him and her son, from the front. Astrid very slowly and carefully brought their buckets of mead tea and set them down in front of their heads as both of them watched her, cautiously stepping away afterwards and sitting next to me on our floor mattress to watch for a moment.

Toothless looked at Fury and gestured to the buckets, then taking a drink himself, and even smacking his lips afterwards to indicate it was good. Looking cautiously at him, Fury slowly dipped her snout into her bucket and took a sip . . . and then another one, and another. Soon she was tipping the bucket up on her snout and finishing it to the last drop.

"I think she likes it," Astrid whispered to me, as Fury now let the bucket fall off her snout to the floor. I couldn't help quietly smiling.

Toothless now looked over Fury's head at Astrid, tipping his head and glancing towards Fury's bucket, but not his own.

"I think he wants us to give her another one," my wife smiled.

"I think you're right," I agreed.

"Needles deserves hers, too," my wife added.

Astrid carefully moved up beside Fury as Fury watched her, and picked up Fury's bucket, going back to the cooking area, and filling it from the cauldron of mead tea she had made, along with another bucket for Needles. As soon as Astrid had given Fury her bucket back, and even before she had given Needles her bucket, Toothless watched as Fury didn't hesitate this time in dipping her snout into it, and quickly downing the whole thing.

Fortunately, neither one of them seemed to ask for thirds this time. The mead tea had the effect Astrid was hoping for though, as Fury's eyes became very relaxed, and she soon settled her head down in front of Toothless'. He laid his head down now, too . . . his eyes just watching her for a while, before slowly closing as well.

After watching them, Astrid and I finally lay back on our own mattress bed. Eric was already asleep on the other side of my wife. She and I just looked at each other on our pillows for a moment.

"We've witnessed a miracle tonight," my wife finally whispered. "My prayers came true."

"We've got a long way to go here," I cautioned.

"We'll do this," Astrid assured.

"I've learned to never bet against you," I smiled.

"Smart boy," she whispered. "Say, you haven't taken off your leg rig, have you?"

"Sorry, in the midst of all this, I forgot," I quietly noted.

"Allow me," she offered. "And slide further over," she said.

"Why?" I whispered.

"In one of my prayers to the gods tonight on our way down the trail," she whispered as she reached down beside me and proceeded to remove my leg rig, along with my garments, "I promised the gods I would rededicate myself to being your wife, regardless of what happened between Toothless and Fury . . . although I was asking them for basically what ended up happening here. So I'm kind of really on the hook now," she smiled. "But seeing Toothless and Fury though has reminded me how precious the bond between mates, between husband and wife, is."

"Even though there may not be much we can do tonight with our son next to us here, I want to renew that bond with you, somehow . . . really start renewing it," she said as she now laid herself down again beside me, "starting with our vows, and including Toothless and his mate, Fury, in them as well."

"We live as one," I smiled as I took my wife into my arms.

"We fight as one," she whispered as she slowly kissed me.

"We love as one," I continued as I slowly kissed her.

"And Toothless and Fury fly as one again, with their son," she said.

"So let it be," I added.

"So let it be," she concurred as she gently kissed me into a quiet, delicate passion.

"Mommy . . . where's Toofess?" our son sleepily asked next to us.

"Shhhhh," my wife soothed, undeterred from loving me this time. "He's sleeping right nearby with Little Toothless and Fury. You get to sleep with us tonight, okay?"

"No one's touching me," he quietly complained. Eric had never known a night where someone, either Toothless or us, wasn't touching him as he slept.

I felt Astrid turn and reach over, first caress our son and then gently slide him over against her side. She then turned back to me, as I felt that same hand of hers now caressing my face. With my left arm around her, I too reached over and gently rubbed our son on his head, before sliding that arm gently in between my son and wife, and wrapping it around Astrid again.

One day Eric would have to sleep alone, just as I once did . . . so that there would be room in his life and heart for a future someone special. But he was still a small child . . . our child. So not tonight.

"No matter what," Astrid assured as she lay her head against my shoulder again, "I am your wife . . . tonight, and always."

"Astrid . . ." I whispered as I just tenderly kissed her. "This time for real, right?"

"For real," Astrid assured. "You can test me, tomorrow . . . if I don't beat you to it. We will find a way," she whispered as she proceeded to kiss me again, long and slowly.

"I want to keep you," I whispered as I held her tightly again.

"I know . . ." came her soft, sweet reply.


	20. Bonus Chapter 4

"Oh my gods," I heard Astrid gasp, as she shook me awake.

"Wh-What?" I mumbled, opening my eyes.

"It's Eric," she whispered, alarmed. "He's wandered over next to Fury and Toothless. Fury could do anything with him!"

I sat up, and we both watched almost in horror as Eric began firmly patting Fury as if she was Toothless.

"I'll creep up and retrieve Eric," I whispered.

I got up to quietly approach Eric and the Furies. But I suddenly remembered I didn't have my leg rig on, so I had to crawl on my hands and knees. Toothless however raised his head and looked steadily and calmly first at Eric, and then at me. He basically seemed to be telling me that he would let no harm come to our Eric. I decided to trust him, and stopped crawling towards them for a moment.

He then just looked at Eric patting Fury, and at Fury. She looked puzzled at both Eric and Toothless, but her eyes were calm. Toothless then motioned and softly grunted to Eric, seeming to invite him into the circle between him and Fury.

Eric just wordlessly seemed to accept Toothless' invitation as he wobbled in between the heads of the two Night Furies as they watched him, now disappearing, to Astrid and I anyway, behind Fury's back. Toothless extended his head to one side and grabbed a sheepskin, then seeming to arrange it within their circle, presumably covering Eric snugly in it as he settled next to Little Toothless among them. Finally, Toothless extended his wing protectively over both little ones.

Fury and Toothless then just looked at the children between them, and at each other, before simply laying their heads down again and proceeding to snooze.

But there was one more miracle now as Fury gently extended her wing over his. Toothless then let out the deepest, most satisfied sigh we'd ever heard from him.

Wow.

I crept back beside Astrid in our bed on the floor nearby. She leaned tightly against me as we sat up and watched, with tears in her eyes, for a moment longer.

"Dear gods thank you for this," my wife whispered, bringing her forehead to mine. "Thank you for bringing our families together. Please keep us all, dragon and human, safe . . . and please continue to help us to find trust and harmony together. But thank you . . . thank you, for this miracle."

She now looked at me, as I looked at her for a moment. She then silently reached to her other side for something, and gently smiled as she sat up straight and put her leather headband on her head . . . arranging her hair just so, with her bangs on the outside, without ever taking her eyes off me.

"For you, my love," she said. "I promised the gods, especially if something like this happened."

She kissed me, gently . . . and then laid me back down.

"We're alone," Astrid whispered suggestively. "We have this bed, this whole side of the house, all to ourselves. Toothless and Fury are taking care of everything else, and I don't think Eric will be leaving their circle right now."

"We owe them . . . big time," I sighed.

I just welcomed her into my arms as she drew the quilts back over us and kissed me, hard. The wife, the Astrid I loved, was truly back. The hints and promises of last night hadn't just been a dream.

— — — — —

We didn't exactly get around to doing most of our chores that day. To my surprise, Astrid even convinced me to quietly sneak off out of the house for a soak alone with her up in the hot springs, leaving the two dozing Furies with their child . . . and ours.

"You sure about this?" I felt I had to ask, as we tiptoed out the door.

"Well, we could watch three dragons and one kid, plus Needles, keep snoring away if you really want to," Astrid quietly suggested. "Or you could enjoy the hot springs, and me, like you've been wanting to. Your choice."

"Forget I said anything here," I quickly replied with a smile.

"Apology accepted," she whispered as she seductively kissed me, before leading me the rest of the way out the door and up our trail.

Gods, it was a second honeymoon for Astrid and I. We fell in love with each other all over again. I had the profound experience of discovering anew this woman who had pledged her life to me, and who still loved me, far more than I had realized.

"Astrid . . ." I sighed as we finally just lounged together at one side of the hot springs.

"Yeah, Hiccup?" she warmly invited, coming even closer in the warm waters and beginning to melt me all over again with another soulful kiss.

I could only surrender and drown myself in that kiss of hers, of ours now . . . holding her tightly, gratefully, afterwards.

"I am right with you, my love," Astrid assured, "right with you."

I just teared up as we held each other close.

"I never want to lose this between us again," I was finally able to say.

"I don't either," Astrid tearfully agreed herself. "Every time I see you back home, I'll remind myself of this. And we, you and I, will figure out ways of keeping . . . this," she said, looking and gesturing all around me and her, " . . . alive, alright?"

"So let it be," I agreed as I kissed her again.

"_Sooo_ let this be!" she agreed passionately as well.

For the first time since that magic winter of ours together at the cove four years ago . . . we once again couldn't get enough of each other.

But today, for a while, we could try.

— — — — —

Finally, after a good long stretch of relaxing and loving each other in delicious bliss in the hot springs, "We'd better go check on everyone else," Astrid suggested.

"I'm not letting the woman I've rediscovered here go though," I warned with a smile.

"And I won't allow you to," she smiled right back. "But we have a family, too, to take care of . . . maybe even a bigger family here, gods willing."

There was no distinction in our minds now between our family and Toothless' family. They were the extended family Astrid and I wanted to share our home with . . . if Fury would accept it.

Astrid and I couldn't stop smiling, even laughing though, as we dried and dressed each other.

"Thank you for putting my leg rig on," I said to my wife as I let her hair fall through one of my hands as she finished fastening its straps.

"It's my pleasure, Hiccup," she assured, "one way I enjoy showing you I love you."

"You don't mind it? It doesn't gross you out, even a little?" I asked.

"No," she replied as she drew me down onto my knees in front of her. "While I'll always wish with you that you had your full leg back . . . your stump, your leg rig . . . they're part of you now, who you are. And I love who you are, Hiccup . . . with my heart, and my whole being."

She just hugged me tightly again and I buried my face against her beautiful hair.

"I hate life in the village," I said as we held each other. "It tears us apart . . . from this."

"Hey, keeping this going between you and I back in the village is just our next challenge together, okay?" she warmly encouraged as she looked at me. "You with me on this?"

I looked at her for a second.

"Yes," I finally accepted with a tear in my eyes.

"Good," she accepted, looking at me with tearful eyes, too, as we kissed again. "And Hiccup . . . I don't boss you around too much, do I?" she then tentatively asked.

I just laughed and smiled and hugged her all over again. "No, Astrid," I assured. "You keep me from screwing up, remember? I wouldn't be where I am now without your strong encouragement."

That caused her to both laugh and break down and cry a little with relief and joy for a moment as I held her.

"I love you, just as you are, too," I whispered in her ear, " . . . especially your sharp edges."

"Hiccup . . ." she sniffed.

"Astrid . . ." I softly replied to her.

We could have become lost in each other all over again.

"Let's try to check on our family . . . one more time here," my wife tearfully joked.

Reluctantly, we helped each other up, and started walking close, arm in arm, down the trail towards our home on the beach. As her skirt spikes once again dug into my thigh, and her shoulder armour began almost began wearing a groove in my shoulder, I was going to ask why she had put her armour on yet again today . . . but I just let it go.

Finally looking up as we walked down the hill approaching the beach, we beheld something incredible.

Eric and Little Toothless were playing on the sand, with Toothless and Fury laying and relaxing together, head to head, watching them nearby.

Astrid and I just looked at each other, broke out into big smiles and then hugged all over again, moved deeply by the scene.

"This day is perfect," I whispered to her.

"Yeah," Astrid agreed in a whisper as well.

We noticed Eric and Little Toothless began roughhousing a bit.

I was afraid Astrid might become concerned. But to my surprise, she just whispered, "Let's see how this goes," as we both watched.

As the young dragon and boy began getting a little rougher, Fury raised her head and began growling a little at them. The two little ones seemed to take no notice.

Toothless now took a greater interest as well, raising his head some.

Eric was both giggling and growling himself a little as he began rolling on the sand, with Little Toothless growling in more aggressive play as well.

Then, we saw the small dragon's teeth deploy within his open mouth.

Before either Astrid or I could rush in, or even say anything . . . Fury gave out one sharp, loud bark, causing Little Toothless to freeze, right as he was.

His small teeth were immediately retracted, and Little Toothless now suddenly separated from Eric, bowing low and looked very chastened.

Fury gave one more short bark as Toothless looked on.

"He didn't mean it," Eric said to Toothless and Fury, almost seeming to defend his playmate, but not seeing Astrid or I yet. "We're sorry . . . it's okay," our son said to both the big Night Furies, and to Little Toothless as well.

I smiled as Little Toothless now nudged against Eric with his eyes closed . . . seeming to be grateful to our son for getting him out of trouble with his own parents.

"Here," Eric continued, picking up a rock and looking at Little Toothless, "let's make something in the sand instead."

Little Toothless now picked up a rock as well, and gently laid it beside the rock Eric was still holding. Little Toothless now made a grunt and gesture as he looked at Eric.

"No," Eric replied, "let's draw stuff, okay?" adding a grunt and gesture of his own, as he began tracing a line in the sand with his rock.

Little Toothless now picked up his rock again and began tracing a line in the sand as well. Both Toothless and Fury now visibly relaxed again.

Astrid and I just looked at each other and smiled. Our Eric could not be in safer hands . . . or claws. Astrid just gave me a look back up the trail, and together, we silently began to turn around, not wanting to disturb yet another miraculous scene. But Toothless saw us, and with a gentle grunt and movement of his head, he invited us down the rest of the way to them.

So we came closer.

This whole setting seemed so delicate, so fragile. But Toothless was calm, even serene as he motioned us to come down the rest of the way.

Fury now looked at us as well as we arrived in front of both of them. Something was different about her now as she looked at both us, and at Toothless.

Astrid then led me to sit down in front of Fury and Toothless on the beach. I just looked at my wife as she looked at Fury, and Fury looked back at her. As our children drew in the sand together further away near the water's edge. We allowed an almost mystical peace to descend and grow among the four of us adults . . . dragon and human.

"I want to try something here," my wife whispered in my ear. "How can we convey the idea of what we want Fury to share with all of us?"

"We show them," I whispered back. "Toothless has—"

Astrid just placed a finger to my lips, letting me know she got the idea. She then drew my face to hers with a hand. She and I nudged foreheads and communed with each other for a while.

Both Astrid and I couldn't resist stealing glances to the side as we watched Toothless look at Fury and gesture with his head towards us, then holding his head towards her and closing his eyes. Fury almost purred now as she closed her eyes and moved to close the gap between her and Toothless, not only touching the tip of her nose to his, but now also caressing his face with hers, as he sighed deeply.

My wife and I now turned our heads and gently smiled as we looked openly at them. Toothless and Fury now looked back at us with one eye each as they rested their heads against each other. Astrid now held out an arm towards Fury, inviting her to join us. Fury turned her head and eyed Astrid's shoulder armour and spiked skirt though, then motioning with her head sharply towards one side.

Astrid looked down at herself. "Oh, I'm sorry," she apologized. "Even I wouldn't want to nudge against all this. Hiccup, how do you put up with hugging me in this armour? Some days I just forget I'm putting it on anymore."

"Like I said," I smiled, "I've learned to love your sharp edges . . . and believe me, those are."

"You, sir, put up with more than you should," she said as she sat up away from me for a moment.

I just smiled. I wasn't going to say a thing to that.

"Hiccup . . . it's the truth, isn't it?" she gently pressed.

"The truth is that I love you, in or out of your armour," I replied directly, "with your sharp edges, or your soft curves."

"Hold that nice thought, would you?" Astrid requested. "You guys just don't need me in this today," she decided as she stripped out of her armour and skirt down to her sleeveless tunic underneath that nicely revealed her shoulders. "Take off your cloak, too, Hiccup."

"I must say, you look different in just your under tunic and leg wraps," I warmly observed to her as I shed my chief's cloak. "Far more peaceful . . . and less threatening."

"And sooo much softer, right?" she said, leaning against me once more.

"Ohh yeah," I sighed as I gratefully took her back into my arms, savouring the feel of her softer self against me now as I gave her a kiss.

"I'm sorry, Hiccup," Astrid apologized.

"Only if you let me start apologizing for my leg rig," I qualified. "After all, that's sharp in places, too."

"Good idea," she replied, "we don't need that either right now," as she proceeded to take that off me and lay it aside with her armour as Fury watched.

"Fury, I hope I'm okay to nudge now," my wife apologized, holding out her arm again.

Fury looked at Astrid, now just clad in a much gentler off-white tunic, but still hesitating for a moment.

"I promise we won't ride you, if you don't want us to," my wife gently offered with a smile.

Fury looked at Astrid with large eyes and now moved to close the distance between them. She then nudged my wife with not just her nose, but with her whole head as she closed her eyes. With a quiet, accepting joy, Astrid embraced Fury's head with her whole upper body, as I smiled and rubbed Astrid's back, quietly applauding her from behind.

"I think she's joined us," Astrid whispered as she rested her head on Fury's while looking at me.

"She has," I softly responded with a smile, before looking at Toothless. There was a deep, abiding joy in his eyes now that brought tears to my own.

I now hugged Toothless' head myself. "Way to go here, family," I quietly said.

"Yeah," Astrid agreed, looking back at me while still embracing Fury's head. My wife reached a hand over for me. I took her hand in mine, gripping it firmly. Astrid smiled, looking more beautiful to me than ever as she rested her head on Fury's.

Toothless and I then joined Astrid and Fury in their bond, as our children, Eric and Little Toothless, now came and joined in as well. Fury accepted it all now, closing her eyes and remaining absolutely still. Even if Astrid and I, or Toothless and Fury, had more children . . . our family was now complete.

"Needles," my wife invited, "come here and join with us."

I smiled as Needles now came beside my wife, squawked, and nudged with us, too, now.

Ohh what a day this was . . . the day that our real family came together, and was born.

Fury now emerged from our shared link slightly, looking around at all of us, and our children. There was a new happiness in her eyes. The wildness, the fear . . . they were gone now. An indescribable serenity now settled among us all. Toothless looked upon his mate with such peace, and love.

"Buddy, I'm glad . . . so glad . . . you could come to know what I do, with my own mate, and companion," I said to him as I rubbed his head, almost in congratulations.

"But hey," I added, motioning with my head towards the trail, "husband to husband . . . why don't you take Fury up to the hot springs for a little while? Let us watch the kids here. Go . . . up there . . . hot springs," I pointed.

My wife smiled at me.

Toothless gave a deep, long, satisfied grunt as he now rose and gently nosed a surprised Fury towards the trail. She allowed it, looking at him uncertainly, but rising herself and yielding to him. Little Toothless became concerned as Fury began to leave. Fury looked concerned in turn at Toothless, and he in turn just looked openly at us.

My wife then moved over and knelt down again, gently laying a hand on Little Toothless.

"You stay with us for a while, okay?" she gently invited the small Night Fury. "Allow your mom some time, just with your dad, alright? I'll give you some yummy small fish, and even some tea . . . maybe with just a little mead in it."

She then turned back to Fury. "It's alright, Fury," she assured. "We will watch and care for your son, every bit as much as you've already cared for ours. We'll even keep Little Toothless in line with your 'no teeth' play rule. Go . . . discover love, with Toothless."

Fury grunted, seemingly with understanding. She now turned back to go up the trail, willingly, with Toothless following, to their own brief honeymoon at the hot springs.

Astrid now sat on the beach next to me, smiling, while our shared family's children went back to peacefully drawing again in front of us in the sand. Needles squawked again nearby as she watched them as well.

"Now I suppose we should help Needles win her guy for keeps, eh?" I smiled, looking at the Nadder.

"Yeah maybe," Astrid replied, now looking at the Nadder, too. "But unlike Fury, he's been coming around her in the village every once in a while. They go out together at times, and seem to go south in the winter together as well. They come and go as they like. It works for them. Besides, he's pretty attached to my mom now as his rider. They're good. Maybe he might even find and visit Needles out here, but I kind of doubt it, as he wasn't around when we all left. She doesn't seem to be missing him all that much though, like Toothless was with Fury, and Little Toothless."

"Why do you think Needles has never seemed to have a kid then?" I wondered.

"I don't know," Astrid replied, seeming just a little irritated, but still smiling. "Maybe she has down south. Maybe Night Fury offspring just grow slower or hang around their parents longer. Maybe we ought to fly south with Needles and her guy one winter and find out."

"Doesn't sound bad to me," I sighed. "But I don't think the village would give us two dragon study breaks in a row here."

"We could try," Astrid suggested with another smile. "But now that we've achieved our purpose here, do we have to tell the village . . . yet?"

"Not as far as I'm concerned," I replied, giving her a kiss.

"Remember," she cautioned, breaking off our kiss with a smile, "it's our turn to watch the kids now."

"I know," I said, kissing her again anyway.

"Hiccup . . ." she sighed in my arms as we watched a young boy and a young dragon continue to draw figures in the sand as equals, "I love this . . . all of it. And I love the guy who made it all happen."

"You made this part happen," I reminded her as I kissed her again.

We just relaxed on that beach together for the rest of the afternoon, watching the children play. When evening finally came, my wife carefully enticed Little Toothless back inside our home, feeding him small fish one at a time, along with her mead tea that it seemed all dragons loved now.

"Mommy, could I have that, too?" Eric asked as Astrid was feeding Little Toothless another small fish.

"Don't you want your fish roasted?" my wife asked.

"Nope, I like them the way he has them, too," Eric said as his dragon friend swallowed the fish. "Furwy even fed us both with a fish today she threw up."

"And you liked it?" Astrid queried with a strange look.

"Yep!" Eric replied enthusiastically.

"Toothless did that with me, too, when we were first getting to know each other," I noted beside her. "It must be a dragon thing."

"Okayy . . ." Astrid replied uncertainly. "I suppose you want the mead tea, as well."

"Yep," Eric replied again. "But we all got some of that, too, by putting our faces in the big pot after you left today."

"Uh huh . . ." my wife answered uncertainly again. "Eric . . . you know you're human, right?"

"I can get along with dragons," he defended, "especially Furwies!"

"It's a good thing," I assured my wife with a smile, coming up beside her. "He has a really cool best friend a lot younger than I did as a kid."

"I just want him to have human friends, too, okay?" Astrid said as she gave me a worried look. "Human friends that won't think he's weird."

"When he starts flying with his cool best friend," I assured, "and zooming along faster than everyone else . . . trust me, the other kids won't think he's weird."

"Think that will happen?" my wife asked.

"Even if Fury never accepts one of us riding her," I noted, looking at Eric as he now happily ate a small raw fish beside Little Toothless, "with those two growing up side by side? It'll happen."

"Tell me you still want your fish cooked though, right?" she asked.

"Yep, don't worry," I replied. "I'll still be human with you . . . keep you company. But could I try some mead tea, too?"

"Just start calling me 'Dragon Mama'," Astrid sighed.

"I'll call you 'Dragon Woman', or even my 'Dragon Girl', any day," I replied, embracing her from behind now and nuzzling her neck.

"Oooo . . . I like that," Astrid replied as she relaxed into my arms.

"I am glad you shed your 'scales' here today, though," I smiled, now kissing her hard just behind the ear.

"Oh stop!" she laughed, before suddenly relaxing into a sigh. "On second thought, don't stop . . ."

"Anything," I said, speaking gently right against her neck, "for my Dragon Girl."

"Mommy," Eric now said as I sighed at the interruption in my own play with Astrid, light as it was . . . again, "may Wittle Toofess and I be excused."

"Sweetheart," Astrid noted, "it's getting dark out now. Maybe you two ought to play in here, perhaps even get ready for bed. I had a tough enough time getting Little Toothless inside the house as it was."

"Can we play on the bed?" Eric asked.

"Okay," my wife agreed reluctantly, "but not too rough . . . and no teeth."

"We know," Eric replied, as he invited his dragon friend over to the floor mattress now.

"Enforcing dragon parental rules," Astrid noted, shaking her head.

"Yep," I replied, holding her close from behind again. "Isn't it wonderful?"

"No," she said, turning and holding me now as well. "It's incredible . . ."

— — — — —

Both little ones were asleep in our bed next to us, when Toothless and Fury finally returned as Astrid and I were about to blow out the last candles around us. Seeing Eric and Little Toothless sleeping so peacefully side by side, none of the rest of us wanted to disturb them. So Fury just looked at Toothless and motioned her head towards us. She then proceeded to turn around and lay down next to us, as Toothless then lay down next to her.

"Goodnight, family," my wife said as she blew out the last candle. Those two simple words had never felt so true as they did tonight.

I drew my wife close to me as she lay down again.

"I will be thanking the gods for the rest of eternity," I whispered to her as I nestled behind her, "for both this day . . . and for you."

I could just feel her smile against me as she drew my arms even more tightly across her. I felt a tear of hers silently fall upon my upper arm as she rested her head against my shoulder, and heard her gently sniffle a little.

I smiled as my cheek detected that she had left her headband on . . . just for me. I nuzzled against her face and hair, soon feeling her face, and the rest of her, turn to meet me in the darkness. We then shared the quietest, softest kisses I had ever known . . . for a good while. She kissed me as much as I wanted, and I did the same for her.

After whispering our all-important nightly vows very quietly in each other's ears, I found that I almost couldn't fall asleep, this was all feeling so good. But somehow, I did.

I had a new name for heaven that night though . . . family.


	21. Bonus Chapter 5

"Morning . . ." I heard this delicious voice whisper in my ear. "Don't get up . . . just roll over on your stomach."

"Whhhyy?" I mumbled pleasantly as I rolled over anyway.

Two incredibly soothing hands on my back soon answered my question.

"Toothless and Fury are already outside with the kids," Astrid assured as she massaged me. "I'm just waking you up nice and slow. No rush here, okay? But we need fish today, so let's all try a flight before long."

"Okayy . . ." I sighed as Astrid rubbed me nice and deeply. "Take your time . . ."

"Ohh, you can bet I will here," my wife assured as she continued rubbing me for a good while.

_Ohh wow, what a way to be woken up_, I pleasantly thought to myself. But that was before Astrid leaned down and started kissing my neck. I could no longer resist as I rolled over and grabbed hold of her.

"I am all yours," she assured in my arms. "Take me . . ."

"Ohh gods," I sighed. "A second incredible morning with you like this . . . in a row?"

"Uh huh," my wife assured with a smile.

Okay, life was officially good again.

— — — — —

I looked at Astrid in my arms as we continued lounging together a while later.

"What is it, my love?" she asked.

Half of me couldn't believe this was real . . . the other half didn't want it to stop.

"It's . . . I feel so wonderful . . . I can't say," I sighed, looking earnestly at her.

Astrid just smiled and moved to kiss me again.

"You've deserved this," she assured, "we both have. I think we're finding a wonderful balance . . . a harmony now. Fury and Little Toothless joining us . . . and then you and I falling in love all over again? It's what we, our family, needed. I am not going to let go of . . . this."

"You just gestured at all of me . . . plus everything around us," I noted with a smile as I rolled us over again.

"Absolutely!" she quietly agreed. "I will fight to keep you, it, everything. I swear. Fight with me on this, would you? Not through battles, but just refusing to compromise anymore for less than what we both want, okay?"

"I swear, Astrid . . . on your heart," I said, placing my hand there.

"And I swear, too . . . on your heart, Hiccup," she echoed, placing her hand on my heart as well. "No village, no busyness, no interruptions will tear us apart, alienate us anymore."

"Even when we can't share what we want to at the moment," I added, knowing that busyness and interruptions would still come at times.

"Yeah," Astrid agreed as she hugged me tightly. "To have time though, right now — to talk, and just _be_ with you like this . . ."

"It's incredible," I finished.

"I don't want to fly and get fish today now," she sighed, looking at me.

"Let's do it anyway," I smiled. "I'll ravish you more later . . . promise."

"Deal!" my wife readily agreed.

— — — — —

Soon, our new family was flying together . . . with me on Toothless, Astrid and Eric on Needles, and Fury and Little Toothless flying free among us.

Fury was happy with us now. I could tell by the loops and spins she did on her own in the air. She was an expert and proud flyer, knowing her full body well — her wings, her quarterfins and tailfins — and how to use them in flight. After flights and in the evenings, Fury was almost as obsessive about preening her wings and fins as Astrid used to be about sharpening her axes and blades for her warrior and dragon training. The two of them were far more alike than different, and each seemed to know it.

Sometimes during our flights together, to my unease, Fury would invite Toothless to play with her in the air. I just knew to hang on tight . . . and make fast adjustments to Toothless' tailfin.

Fury would readily join Toothless and I now on fish runs. Sometimes it was just the three of us, sometimes Astrid and Eric on Needles. Little Toothless would join in as well, proudly scooping up a single fish in his mouth and contributing it to our pile when we got home.

Once again, as had happened before during the winter at our cove . . . the days had become so good, that I didn't want to let go of any them as the sun would go down.

"Astrid," I sighed as our family, dragon and human, watched another sunset sitting on the beach together, "I just don't want to go back to the village . . . and this time, I really mean it. I know we can't stay here over the winter, because this place is just too exposed to the open sea. But how about we go straight to our cove before long and get ready for winter there?"

"I know," my wife said understandingly next to me, rubbing my leg. "I didn't expect this gift, this second chance for us, either. A lot of people in the village probably don't experience anything like this their entire lives. But we've agreed that keeping this going between us is just going to be our next challenge together . . . and you don't want to back out on a shared challenge with me, do you?"

"This'll be the second time I've walked out of heaven," I sighed, shaking my head as I looked at the setting sun again. "I don't need to be Village Chief, or Dragon Master, or even a celebrated blacksmith and carpenter. I have what I want . . . here, or at the cove. Everything, and even everyone else just seems to get in the way back in the village. I just don't need people remembering I was a dork way back when."

"Do you consider me one of those people?" Astrid gently asked.

"No, I don't," I softly replied.

"It's alright," she assured, putting an arm around me and giving me a kiss.

"Here I am," I sighed, "in charge of the village, even so in demand I'm never left alone there . . . and yet I can't stop thinking about what people were calling me as a kid, and how I used to screw up. When I'm not there . . . I'm not thinking about those things."

Astrid just embraced me from the side, and rocked me a little. "I think we've found a big reason why you don't like being there," she caringly said.

I silently nodded.

"So, what can we do about that . . . together?" she asked. "Because you're needed there. We both are."

"Are we?" I asked .

"Yeah," she assured, leaning on my shoulder. "You really want to entrust Berk to Snotlout or Tuffnut . . . as good as they are in battle?"

I smiled and shook my head. "Hoark could lead though," I noted.

"Nah, there's no one as good as you," Astrid whispered right in my ear, before she kissed it, once again sending wonderful shivers throughout my body.

"You're working on me here, aren't you?" I noted with a slight smile.

"Yep," she confessed. "Just work with me, too though, okay? It's time to let go of all that past stuff," she advised. "Just let go of it. You're part of us now, this family — and we love the dork who leads us. We love him, so much. I know I do."

"You've just totally disarmed that word with me, you know that?" I sniffed with a smile.

"Uh huh," Astrid gently replied. "With this kiss, I promise that word will never hurt you again."

I kissed her so hard for that.

"Say it . . ." I invited as I nuzzled her afterwards.

"Dork . . ." she replied with a smile.

I kissed her all over again as I gratefully rocked her now.

Then, we heard this strange smooching sound next to us.

Sure enough, just as they had each done before with other things they'd seen from us, Toothless and Fury were now trying to emulate the kissing they'd just seen Astrid and I share. Two dragons trying to kiss romantically was at first for some reason, just the funniest sight Astrid and I had ever seen. We couldn't help busting out and laughing hysterically for a while — to the point where Toothless and Fury now turned and gave us very strange looks.

"We're . . . We're sorry," I apologized, before my wife and I both gave in to another fit of laughter.

"Ohh man!" Astrid sighed, trying to get a grip again. "Think of something that'll calm us down."

"Life in the village," I laughed again, before it did the trick . . . I stopped laughing.

"But, come on," my wife asked as she calmed down as well, "with what we just shared, is village life sound so bad now?"

"Well, not as long as it's with you," I replied. "So long as we, our whole family, can keep having moments like this."

"I promise," Astrid pledged as I held and kissed her while we sat together on the beach in front of our house. "It might be a little hard to see sunsets like this through rain and snow . . . but I promise."

We both laughed again some, and hugged each other tightly.

"Look . . ." my wife whispered to me as she was now looking past me.

Toothless and Fury were now quietly looking at and nudging each other. It seemed like they were making pledges of their own to each other, wordlessly in their own way, as well.

"I think we are really rubbing off on them," Astrid noted.

"Inspiring two dragons to have and share a life they otherwise wouldn't have known," I agreed.

"See how good you are?" my wife encouraged.

"You're doing this, too," I reminded her. "But, you ready to go back to the village?" I asked, almost invited.

"Well, that's a surprise," Astrid responded.

"Maybe I've found what I've needed to take with me, from places like this," I noted. "Toothless found what he was looking for, and now, so have I . . . although really, I've had her with me for a while now. I guess the bond just needed to be a little deeper, and some old wounds really healed."

"Glad I could help," my wife replied as she snuggled against me. "Could we stay a bit longer anyway?"

"I suppose we could stay for a few more fish runs," I said.

"And soaks in the hot springs," my wife echoed.

"Yeah, we won't get those back in the village," I agreed.

"You wanna go?" Astrid suggested.

"We've been sneaking up there a fair amount," I replied. "Don't you think it's only fair we offer Toothless and Fury a chance this time?"

"That's fine," my wife smiled next to me. "Toothless, Fury," she then quickly said to them, "hot springs date. It's yours if you want. But use it or lose it!"

"Astrid!" I said in playful shock.

Toothless and Fury both looked at us, and then at each other. Toothless just gestured with his head as he looked at his mate, and then they just started walking towards the trail up to the springs.

"Have fun," Astrid bid them, before whispering to me, "Darn, they understood me."

"You can be terrible at times," I sighed as I hugged her some more.

"The worst," she smiled, laying her head on my shoulder. "But you love me for it."

"Okay," I sighed, "I've changed my mind. I don't want to go back to the village now. You've convinced me . . . this is just too good."

"Blame me, huh?" she asked.

"Yep," I replied. "Absolutely."

Little Toothless didn't even notice his own mom and dad leave as he dropped another small rock in place as part of a sculpture in the sand he was making with Eric in front of our house. Astrid and I continued to lean against each other and watch both of them, and the golden ocean and setting sun behind them.

"You kids want anything?" Astrid offered to the children.

Eric briefly grunted to Little Toothless. The small dragon casually grunted back, still focused on the rock sculpture they were creating, before Eric replied, "No Mommy, Wittle Toofess and I . . . we're good."

The village might never understand the type of family the six of us — seven counting Needles — now enjoyed. But we didn't care anymore.

— — — — —

Another day . . . another fish run!

Today, we were all flying together again as a family . . . with some aerobatics around some sea stacks and cliffs thrown in just for fun at Fury's request.

Toothless with me and Needles with Astrid and Eric had already made our fish runs. Our two dragons were flying along with mouthfuls of fish, chasing behind Fury, who was practically dancing in the air alongside a cliff of Dragon Island.

"Come on Fury!" I yelled from Toothless. "Time to grab some fish and go home!"

She took one more graceful turn, skimming along another cliff face as she spotted a flock of seagulls and looked to be getting ready to dive down to the surface for her own fish.

Suddenly, a net was dropped over from the cliff top, and she was ensnared.

Little Toothless was only yards behind her. Before I could even react, Toothless banked and dove downward, dropping his own load of fish. He dipped just underneath Little Toothless, turning sharply upward and away from Fury still struggling to fly under the net. As Little Toothless was slammed against me, I grabbed and held onto him with one arm as Toothless now powered us away from the danger with all his might.

Astrid also quickly dove with her Nadder.

"Needles . . . drop fish!" Astrid directed. "Fire . . . net . . . there!" she pointed, trying to have the Nadder cut the net loose from around Fury as she fell towards the water. But it didn't work as Fury now hit the water with a splash, still struggling under the net.

I now saw small boats, with a ship near by. Spears and arrows were now flying our way, as Toothless banked to shield us.

Little Toothless began violently struggling in the one arm I was holding him with.

"Calm down!" I told the small dragon as I tried to tighten my grip on him. But he suddenly broke free of me, and started flying back towards his mother, making little roars of concern.

Toothless immediately turned sharply around, zooming to catch him again with me barely hanging on.

Fury roared loudly as she floated in the water, motioning sharply with her head, seeming to be trying to warn Little Toothless off. Toothless gave out a loud, worried roar as well, trying to call to the young dragon.

More arrows, and even another net now appeared at the edge of my vision, headed towards Little Toothless from different directions. Toothless just fired a low-intensity blast around his son, which deflected the arrows and but only succeeded in catching the net on fire.

Before I could even urge him to, Toothless just brought in his wings and accelerated towards his son. The flaming net now ensnared the three of us. Not caring how hot it was or that it was singeing my head, face, and hands, I fought hard to lift the net off the three of us from the front. Finally throwing it behind me, I briefly retracted his canvas tailfin as the net fell harmlessly off us now to the rear.

But keeping the net off of Little Toothless allowed him to reach his mother in the water. He landed on her back, making little roars of distress for her. While struggling to swim and flap her wings under it, Fury was also roaring loudly, looking back at her son from under the net and motioning sharply away with her head.

Toothless and I made a pass over her. She now roared at us and motioned with her head towards her son. Toothless made a brief roar back in acknowledgement and we pivoted around in the air for a return pass. He looked briefly back at me as we turned.

"I'm ready, bud," I assured him, knowing what we both had to do . . . but not necessarily how we were going to do it.

Toothless now suddenly rolled and inverted as we approached Little Toothless and Fury in the water again.

_Oh great . . ._ I thought. _Toothless wants __me__ to grab his son._

I didn't have time to think more than that. I just gripped the saddle with one hand and my legs, and relied on my saddle harness as well as my foot and leg rig to hang me from the fixed stirrups. I reached out with one arm for Little Toothless, praying I could catch and hold him.

As it seemed to happen in slow motion, I hooked my arm around the young dragon's body as we passed, catching him against me. Knowing Toothless would be rolling right side up again I immediately adjusted the canvas tailfin to help him, and held on to Little Toothless in front of me and to the saddle for dear life.

Suddenly, we were right side up again as Toothless strained with his wings to pull us all back up into the air. I wrapped both my arms around Little Toothless, but again he began struggling to free himself from me. Toothless then barked a sharp command, loudly. Little Toothless suddenly stopped his struggles, now cringing in my arms like he was really being scolded. Toothless barked again, and his son obediently fully retracted his wings and remained still in my arms.

Toothless now circled one more time over Fury. She roared and motioned with her head away once more, as the hunters now approached in their boats. Spears and arrows now began coming our way again. Toothless suddenly fired a blast at one of the boats, destroying it and scattering the hunters into the water around Fury and the net. She even let out a few blasts of her own, but could neither cut through the net, nor aim in the right directions towards the hunters approaching her. The spears and arrows didn't stop coming though from the ship nearby, and from other boats. I lowered myself over Little Toothless against the saddle, trying to shield him as well. I would take an arrow for Toothless' son if I had to. I'd taken arrows before. It didn't seem like such a daunting prospect anymore.

Fury gave another sharp roar, motioning away with her head once more. Toothless looked at her reluctantly, but nodded, giving out a long, plaintive roar himself, before turning us away in another direction.

"Toothless, where are we going?" I asked in confusion as I still held onto Little Toothless as the small dragon was sadly moaning, looking back towards his mother.

Toothless wasn't heading us back towards our beach home. He was heading us towards Berk, as fast as he could.

"Toothless, wait up!" Astrid yelled as she spurred her Nadder to catch up with us. "What's he doing?" she asked, with our Eric still safely on her back.

"He's heading us towards Berk!" I replied. "Fury seemed to be telling him to go! I think she wanted Little Toothless, and maybe our own child out of harm's way before we attempted any rescue of her."

"Those looked like hunters! Pirates!" Astrid yelled back. "We don't have much time before they might kill her!"

"Why do you think Toothless is flying like this?" I pointed out.

"Okay, we drop the kids with my mom, and go!" Astrid decided.

"Your mom hasn't handled Little Toothless before!" I reminded her.

"We'll figure out something!" Astrid yelled back. "Go, Toothless!" she yelled as we all now flew even faster towards Berk.

— — — — —

Soon, the village was in sight, and we landed in front of our parents' house, hard!

"Mom!" Astrid yelled out. "We've got a dragon down out there! It's this little Night Fury's mom, and Toothless' mate, Fury!"

"What's this, Astrid?" Ingrid called out in surprise as she emerged from the front door of the home.

"It's a long story, sorry we haven't had a chance to tell you," Astrid breathlessly tried to explain as she got off her Nadder. "We convinced Fury and Little Toothless here to join our family. She's been snared by hunters out there, but insisted, even from under a net, that we get our children out of there before attempting a rescue. So you're going to have to watch both Eric, and Little Toothless here."

"I've never watched a young dragon before, especially a Night Fury," Ingrid exclaimed. "How do I even get him to stay with me?"

"Toothless, you know you have to get Little Toothless to stay here, with Ingrid," I pointed out as my wife came forward with Eric in her arms, about to leave him behind as well.

Toothless looked at his son as I placed him on the ground. He made a series of grunts at Little Toothless, and then nudged against Ingrid, much to her surprise, before looking back at him. Toothless then motioned for Little Toothless to come to Ingrid, as he nudged her again.

Poor Little Toothless looked frightened, and shrank back slightly. But Toothless was insistent, nudging Ingrid a third time, and looking very sternly at his son.

"Eric," my wife said as she set him down beside Little Toothless in front of Ingrid, "you and Little Toothless have to stay with Nana now, alright? You have to help Nana."

"And help Wittle Toofess," he said.

To our amazement, Eric then made a series of grunting sounds at Little Toothless, then putting one hand on the young dragon's nose, and the other against Ingrid.

Little Toothless now cautiously stepped forward, and closed his eyes in acceptance as he nudged against Eric's side. Eric then made one more grunt, and Little Toothless now moved and nudged against a once again very surprised Ingrid.

Toothless grunted and nodded affirmatively, looking pleased with our Eric, and his own son.

"Have . . . Eric tell Little Toothless what you want him to do," Astrid suggested, still amazed. "Even I didn't know he could speak Night Fury like that! Eric, keep talking with Little Toothless and tell him to stay with you and Nana, okay?"

"Okay, Mommy," Eric bravely accepted. "Help Furwy."

"That's what we're about to do, Eric," Astrid said as she hugged our son one more time. "We love you, all of us, even Fury."

"You must have made some progress out there, I take it," Ingrid noted.

"We're a family now, Mom," Astrid proudly explained, "all of us."

"Have Dad send Snotlout and some Dragon Riders to the far side of Dragon Island as quickly as possible," I urged as I climbed back on Toothless' saddle. "And ships to take the poachers we'll be capturing. We're going back, now!"

"But Hiccup," Astrid said, now rushing up beside me, "you've got burns on you — your hands, your head, even one on your face."

"We have no time for that," I urged her, despite the pain I was starting to feel from my burns. "We have to go back!"

"Alright," Astrid accepted reluctantly. "Love you," she said, reaching up to give me a quick kiss before she turned to remount Needles.

"Love you, too," I replied.

As soon as Astrid was aboard Needles, Toothless bounded off with me back into the sky, with my wife and her Nadder not far behind.

He was now determined to save Fury. All of us were.


	22. Bonus Chapter 6

I had never seen Toothless fly so fast as he did back towards Dragon Island. As we approached he pulled us upward, gaining altitude — presumably so we could see where the hunters were, and remain out of range of their weapons, maybe even not be noticed by them.

"Toothless, there!" I pointed far below us now. "Astrid, down there!" I also yelled.

They had dragged Fury, still in the net, onto a nearby beach. If they were going to treat her like a whale, they would soon kill her and carve up her body.

Toothless now just dove towards them. It was his rescue this time. I let him figure out the strategy, pick the targets, and execute his plan. I was just there to help.

He gave a few roars at the Nadder, gesturing down at the beach. The Nadder roared back and now focused downward, as best as a Nadder with a blind spot could, alternating her head side to side a little. This was why I had chosen as Chief and Dragon Master not to let them lead in battles normally anymore.

Toothless let loose one blast, and turning his head slightly, he let out another blast. The two blasts just missed Fury, impacting on either side of her, but causing the hunters to scatter away from her, catching them completely by surprise. The Nadder let out a stream of fire in front of Fury's head as well, driving away the few hunters that remained. Toothless banked away sharply as he leveled off along the shoreline and then reversed, circling over Fury.

"Land!" Astrid urged. "Check on Fury! I'll drive them along the shore, and torch their boats before I join you!"

"Got it!" I yelled back.

"Toothless let's land and check on Fury," I then suggested. "You can guard her from there."

Toothless and I landed near Fury, as she lay still trapped under the net. I looked out across the water and saw the hunters' ship now explode into fire, as fire streams were also erupting on the beach not far away. Astrid could cover a lot of ground with her Nadder, fast. Perhaps I'd have to re-evaluate those dragons.

I dismounted from Toothless. He and I then carefully lifted the net off Fury's head, as I ignored the growing pain of the burns in my hands. But instead of being happy to see us, Fury just moaned at us, looking very hurt and sad.

We looked down behind her, where the back half of her body was still in the water . . . and we saw why.

Her tail was floating in the water under the net . . . off by itself.

_Those monsters! Those animals!_ The hunters had cut off her tail to prevent her escape, and as a prelude to carving the rest of her up.

Astrid now landed and joined us. "How's Fury?" she asked.

I could only tearfully shake my head and point at what was floating behind her.

"Oh my gods . . ." Astrid gasped as she now saw the tail, too. "Hiccup . . ."

"There's nothing we can do," I sniffed sadly. "It can't be just sewn back on, anymore than one of our severed arms or legs can."

In sadness together, we lifted the net off of Fury's tail anyway as we finished freeing her.

Fury now turned and angrily barked, gesturing with her head at us to move aside as she looked at her own tail, her beautiful tail — her freedom, the life she had known — as it floated there, now apart from the rest of her.

"Oh, Fury . . . I'm so sorry," Astrid softly cried for her, as I now stood with my wife off to one side.

Fury couldn't stand to look at her severed tail anymore. Before the rest of us could do anything, she let loose a blast of her own, destroying it totally. If she could have turned her mouth against herself at that instant, I think she would have wanted to blast herself, too, and put herself out of her misery.

"Fury," Astrid said calmly as she moved beside the maimed dragon, gently laying a hand on her neck as Fury now moaned loudly, mourning for herself and what she knew she had lost, "let us bind your wound, please . . . for the sake of your son, and your mate, Toothless, if not yourself now. You live for them, as we live for each other in this family. We cry with you, Fury," my wife sobbed. "We will cry with you, for as long as you want. Then you will live. You will go on living . . . for your son, for your mate, and for us, as all of us will, for you."

Fury's moans were heartbreaking. Both Toothless and I were now in tears for her as well.

Astrid then moved in front of Fury, kneeling down and nudging her, nose to nose, in the dragon way. Fury opened and focused her eyes in surprise, falling silent for a moment as she felt Astrid's nose and face touch hers now. Fury looked at her briefly, and then closed her eyes again, accepting Astrid's nudge.

"Let us heal you now, Fury," my wife asked, "both your body, and your spirit."

Fury no longer objected, or moved much, as she now looked down.

"Come on, Hiccup," Astrid quietly requested. "I need your help back there."

As we moved behind Fury, both of us were initially chilled and saddened even more by the sight of her tail's stump close up, and the now horrible absence of her tailfins. Fortunately the cold seawater had already helped to coagulate Fury's wound and minimize the bleeding.

"We need a cloth of some kind for now," my wife noted, focusing herself on what needed to be done, "to cover the wound with, until we can get some pine tar to seal it."

"Take my tunic," I said as I quickly stripped out of it before putting my outer cloak back on.

We then bound my tunic around the stub of Fury's tail tightly with a rope. I sucked my teeth as I tried to grip the rope now. The burns on my hands were really starting to hurt.

"We need to treat those burns," Astrid noted as we worked.

"Not now!" I said somewhat sharply. "Sorry, Astrid," I then immediately apologized. "You didn't need that from me. It's the pain talking. Let's just get Fury taken care of here."

"You're just as important," my wife gently insisted.

"Well, we're kind of out of material for bandages for now," I noted.

"No we're not," Astrid disagreed.

"Astrid . . ." I quietly objected as she began tearing off strips around the bottom of her own tunic.

"I can always make another one," she replied.

"Well, it does make you look even more attractive," I allowed myself to be pleasantly distracted by her now bared midriff for a moment.

"If it helps you forget the pain you must be feeling," she smiled, "I'm glad to do it. I just wish I had our herbs and tea or mead to start treating you with."

"I'll make do for now," I replied.

Astrid just moved close and kissed me.

"Thanks. I appreciate that," I quietly said. "I'd hug you, but it'd hurt right now."

"Let's wrap those hands of yours," she suggested.

I looked forward along Fury as Astrid now bandaged my hands, and saw Toothless nudging his head under his mate, inviting her to rest her head on his. She accepted. Fury had no resistance or will left of her own now. She had been robbed of it . . . in one cruel moment, for nothing.

My wife and I then went back to finishing our work on Fury together, and checking that her bandage was secure for now.

"You're gonna make her a new tail, right?" Astrid asked me as we worked.

"I will," I replied. "But she needs time. She's used to flying free, without help. Accepting a rider is something she's never wanted to do."

"I'll be her rider," Astrid decided, looking forward along her.

"I know you will," I said.

— — — — —

Our forces — our Dragon Riders, and even ships — soon arrived.

"Whoa . . . Hiccup," Snotlout said almost in shock to me as he dismounted from his Nightmare. The burns on my head and face must have been worse than I thought. I must have looked like a burned and bloodied mess, but I didn't have time for that now.

"Capture the hunters down the beach there, and bring them here, please," I just directed.

"You heard him, let's go!" Snotlout ordered the other Dragon Riders. My burns seemed to be earning his respect suddenly. Maybe they'd be worth it after all.

"Give us pine tar, now!" Astrid directed before the first ship had even beached.

My wife and I soon had Fury's stub fully sealed, halting the rest of her bleeding, re-binding it with some spare sailcloth from one of the ships as well. I then put my tunic back on, now with a large circle on its front stained with Fury's blood. I wore it proudly for her.

Our riders and ship crews rounded up and brought the surviving hunters before me. With Needles having burned their ship and boats, the hunters had no means of escape.

I looked one more time at Fury, as she now lay her head on Toothless' neck. Her eyes were closed, and she was just moaning softly, whimpering. Toothless just looked sadly at me. The scene tore at my heart.

At first, I couldn't look at the men who had done this to Fury.

"We don't take slaves or keep prisoners ourselves," I directed. "Strip them of anything of value. Leave them with only their clothes, but take their cloaks and helmets. Then take them to Stormgolt. Let the prince there know that these are poachers, criminals we cast out. Let him decide what to do with them, or let them make their own way from there."

"One more thing," I said, finally turning and addressing the hunters as a group. "For what you've done to our dragon, I should take a leg or an arm from each of you. _But I'm not that barbaric!"_ I yelled in anger at them. "Even the dragon you brutally maimed for life now has more humanity in her than that!"

"_You animals!"_ I cried. I now wanted to kill them where they stood. I turned away from them for a moment and drew my sword. My right hand stung in agony from the burns on it, even through the cloth wraps, as I gripped my sword . . . but I tried to hide my pain. Astrid however tearfully stepped towards me, shaking her head.

"This will not restore Fury," she quietly said. "It will only make us like them, and we're better than that. Plus, even five years ago, we were doing this, too."

That made me shudder at first, remembering that I had once wanted to do to dragons what these hunters had done, and more. I now tearfully shook my head, barely able to hold it together.

"It's alright," Astrid whispered to me. "We've changed. We will make this right, together. But would you do something for me, right now, and allow me to say something to them?"

"Why?" I sniffed.

"Because we need these hunters to see both us and the dragons as something different," she said. "We need to have them remember and respect what we say. Trust me, would you? Say what you feel you need to, but then let me say something, too . . . a kind of 'Bad Viking / Good Viking' thing. Being harshly threatened or punished with the loss of a hand or limb, they're used to that — they even expect it. But then being talked to nicely, by an attractive woman? It'll be something they will _never_ forget. They'll leave the dragons alone after that."

I nodded as I wiped the tears from my eyes, before I re-sheathed my sword and turned back towards them as Astrid remained now at my side.

"Know that if you _ever_ return to our waters," I warned them with gritted teeth, "I will not hesitate to let these dragons burn you at first sight. And after what you've done, they will."

"Fellas," Astrid then explained with surprising calm and even warmth as she stood next to me, "just know though that we have made peace with our dragons. That's how we have become Dragon Riders. We do not hunt or harm them anymore. They are friends, even family to us now. They are the source of our strength as a people. We could kill you for what you have done here, but we will let you go, in Stormgolt. Do not forget this mercy we show you however, and do not come back to our waters . . . because we will not be so kind again."

"We understand," one hunter said with his head now bowed.

"Chain them . . . like the beasts they are, for their journey!" I instructed our crews.

"No, my Lord . . . please," Astrid now publicly interceded with me, calling me by a title I had never heard from her before. "They have seen our power with these dragons . . . now let them see our mercy. They will remember and revere that far more than any punishment or shame we bring on them."

I looked at my wife for a brief moment, almost strangely.

"We can't be here to protect the dragons who live on this island all the time," she then quietly whispered to me. "What we do with these men can though."

I quietly nodded. "My warrior wife is right," I said out loud. "Mercy today will protect the dragons on this island, and serve us better than revenge will. Restore these men's belongings to them, but not their weapons. Take them under guard to Stormgolt, and inform the prince. But unless he directs otherwise, release them there and return."

Astrid then looked at the hunters, as they looked back at her somewhat amazed — almost like she was an angel who had intervened to save them from hell. "You guys owe me a favour, big time," she said, almost seductively, in parting to the hunters. "Just hunt elsewhere, and for something besides dragons. They don't taste very good anyway."

They all unconsciously nodded, just staring open-mouthed at her, as they were now ushered away by our forces to a waiting ship, without chains.

"Guys tend not to forget that kind of thing," she added quietly to me, "when a woman tells them, in the right way."

I might have laughed, had the occasion not been so sad. Instead I just nodded to her in approval.

"But, 'My Lord'?" I had to ask.

"Yep," she replied, managing a slight smile. "Makes you seem more important and fearsome to them. I kind of like it, too, actually."

"You're still the same," I managed to admire, shaking my head a little.

"You need me to be, especially now," she suggested. "But let's go home. It's not far down the beach from here. Your burns need to be treated as well."

"That's all!" I said, dismissing our riders and ships as I really began to feel the stinging of my burns seemingly all over me now. "Thank you for your help here."

As our forces quietly departed the island with the captive hunters, we gently encouraged Fury to walk with us back to our beach home. The first painful reality of her inability to fly was now already setting in.

"Other men might not be able to say this," I noted quietly to Astrid as we walked slowly with Toothless, Fury, and Needles. "But thanks for your help back there, with those hunters."

"That's why I married you," my wife gently assured with an arm around me. "Good Chiefs and Dragon Masters accept good advice."

I was almost able to smile at her for that, but not quite. "Now . . . I feel so empty," I said, looking vacantly ahead of me.

"We've got to be full, of love here . . . for Fury," my wife said quietly to me, "for all of us. We were given the blessing of family we've enjoyed here for a reason . . . and this is it. Fury, and Little Toothless, too, would likely be dead now had they not become a part of us. But after we get everyone else taken care of, including you . . . I'll need you to hold me tight later, okay?"

"You got it, Astrid," I assured her as we arrived at our beach house.

Fury now stopped, hesitating at the doorway, dropping her head and closing her eyes, like she was taking yet another step away from her former life. Toothless just closed his eyes and nudged the side of her head, then looking at her supportively again. Fury sighed, basically knowing what she had to do, and began slowly moving again inside, with the rest of us following behind her.

Astrid just looked silently with concern at me, before she, too now focused on what there was to be done next.

"Like some tea, Fury?" my wife asked as Toothless encouraged her to settle inside. "Or would you like some mead, full strength, to dull the pain? Tell you what, I'll give you a bucket of each, and you choose what you like, okay? And I'll put out your favourite fish, too."

"Oww . . ." I said as I tried to pick up even an empty bucket to help Astrid.

"Don't touch anything, okay?" Astrid requested. "Let me get the tea and fish out for Fury, and I'll be right with you to treat those burns."

Toothless stopped and looked sadly at me for a moment, almost with guilt, as his eyes surveyed my face, head and hands. He knew his action in the sky, trying to protect his son, had done this to me; even though it was an accident.

"It's alright, bud," I assured him as I tried to smile a little. I couldn't touch him though — it all just hurt too much. "Fury needs you more than I do right now though, okay?"

Toothless looked down, and then back at me, in quiet acceptance before he turned back to focus on Fury. The mood in our house had never been so quiet and sad as it was now.

Astrid set down the buckets and fish for Fury as Toothless just gestured with his head, inviting her to drink and eat. Fury just stared at it all at first, numb.

"Fury," Astrid gently encouraged her, kneeling down beside her and stroking her head, "just eat and drink for us, okay? It's gonna be alright. Nudge Toothless if it helps. He's here for you now. We all are."

Fury looked at Astrid questioningly, almost asking if life now was going to be worth living. Astrid just silently kissed the side of Fury's nose, and embraced the front of her head from the top again, looking into one of Fury's large eyes as Fury looked up at her.

"I know, Fury," Astrid softly cried again as she stroked her head. A bond was starting to form between the two of them now. As my burns began stinging even more, I stood back a bit, not wanting to crowd Fury at the moment.

Finally, Fury emerged from Astrid's embrace and slowly lowered her head to begin eating a couple of fish. She then sniffed the bucket of mead, but actually wound up preferring the mead tea instead, finishing it fairly quickly.

"Very good, Fury," Astrid soothed as she stroked her. "Why don't you just rest against Toothless for a while."

"Hiccup," my wife said, then turning to me, "let's get you taken care of now. And I hate to tell you, but you've got a burn mark running diagonally right across your face."

"Scarred for life," I sighed. "Well, at least no one can say I'm not a real Viking anymore. No wonder Snotlout seemed to suddenly have so much respect for me a little while ago."

"You took that scar to protect both Toothless and Little Toothless," she noted. "I saw you fight your way out of that net in the air. I will be reminded of your courage and devotion to us all, every time I look at your face now . . . and I will never stop loving you for it, ever," Astrid admired as she gently kissed an unharmed side of my face.

"But I'll do my best to heal it," she added. "If we do this right, it shouldn't be that visible eventually. First though, sit here and drink some mead, full strength, to dull the pain you must be feeling. I insist this time."

I smiled, even though it now stung to do so. Astrid fetched a mug of mead from a barrel. "Oww!" I said again, as it hurt to even pick a mug up now with either of my hands, despite the bandages on them.

"Here," Astrid invited as she took the mug from my hands and brought it to my lips herself.

I drank it, feeling it burn my sinuses almost as much as the burns on my head and hands.

"You've got me preferring your mead tea," I responded, "or at least your watered-down mead."

Astrid smiled back as she went back to a cupboard and reached for some small jars. She tipped out a little of their contents, added some water, and began making a paste.

"Hold still," she then said as she returned to me with it.

I grimaced as she began carefully unwrapping one of my hands.

"Here, drink some more mead," she offered as she stopped what she was doing and picked up the mead again, "the whole rest of the mug. I want you to get a little drunk for me here, okay?"

"That's a switch," I said trying to smile as I grimaced again, the pain becoming even worse. I could see Toothless was watching me, with a very regretful look again.

"You need another mug?" Astrid asked, with a worried look of her own as I finished drinking the mead.

"Yeah," I said quietly, " . . . I'm afraid I do."

"Ohh, Hiccup," my wife empathized, almost with tears in her eyes.

"I'll . . . be okay," I tried to assure her as the pain of my burns throbbed through me. I tried to kiss her, even on the cheek, but even moving my head and face made me begin to whimper now in pain.

"I love you, Hiccup, and I know you love me," my wife tearfully assured. "Just hold still, and let's get more mead into you here."

She wound up feeding me two more full mugs of mead. I'd never been so drunk in my life, but I was feeling better now.

"You'rrre sssooo beautiffful . . ." I admired as she then began working on me.

"Even drunk, you're a charmer," my wife smiled back.

Astrid proceeded to apply the cold paste she had made earlier over the burns on my head and face first, then wrapping a cloth bandage over them, covering one of my eyes for the time being.

"Thhe . . . Thhe Elderr teachh youu howw to doo thiss?" I slurred.

"In part," Astrid replied. "But my mother has been sharing remedies at times with me, too."

"Youu gonna doo tthe ssame thingss tooo mmy hanndss?" I followed up.

"Yep," she replied. "I have to if they're going to heal properly."

"I'mm nnot going tooo beee able tooo eat verry welll, orr dooo almosst anythhing, withh mmy hanndss banndaged," I noted.

"I am already looking forward to feeding and even dressing my brave, heroic husband myself," my wife smiled as she continued working on me.

I just quietly smiled, and then found myself crying openly with gratitude. "Ssorrry . . . I'mm nnott inn conntroll of mmysself rright nnow," I apologized.

"You're drunk," my wife smiled, "and right now, that's a good thing . . . a very good thing," she assured as she now applied the paste over the burns on my hands, before re-wrapping them as well in cloth bandages.

"I llovvve youu . . ." I said with tears in my eyes.

"Hiccup, I love you, too," my wife said with tears in her own eyes as she moved forward to hug me. "I sooo love you."

I hugged her back. "Thhe pain'ss nnott tooo baadd rrighht nnoww . . ." I assured.

Emerging from our embrace a moment later, Astrid suggested, "I'd better go get Fury's son and ours with Needles and bring them back. Then we'll all have dinner here. You need anything else?"

I just shook my head. "Toothhllesss wwill wwatch mmee . . ." I assured.

"Try and take care of Fury, too, okay?" my wife asked.

"I wwill," I sighed. "Thiss dayy . . . it starrted sso hhappily . . ." I couldn't hold it together anymore and started crying again.

"I know . . ." Astrid agreed as she cried in my arms, too, for a moment, finally letting her guard down.

"Assstrrridd . . ." I slurred, trying to care for and comfort her anyway, despite my condition.

That at least made my wife briefly laugh and smile a little for a moment. I smiled with her.

"Thanks," she quietly said as she looked at me. "I needed this — I needed you — just the way you are, right now."

"You'rre thhe besst . . ." I tearfully admired. I then kissed her powerfully. Amazingly, it didn't hurt very much.

"You are, too," Astrid replied. "We'll make it better here," she assured amid her own tears again as well, giving me another kiss. "We all will."

"Go . . ." I encouraged, "sso youu get back before darrk."

"Is the mead starting to wear off already?" she asked, caressing an unburned cheek with her hand.

"A little. I'll be okayy thhough," I assured. "I donn't nneed more mead for now."

"My brave, wonderful Hiccup," she admired. "I'll be back soon. I love you."

"I love you, too, Astrid," I was able to say clearly.

— — — — —

While Toothless and I remained with Fury at our Dragon Island home, Astrid flew to Berk and brought back our children, with Little Toothless flying on his own beside Astrid and Eric on Needles. On the way back, Astrid told Eric, and had him tell Little Toothless, that Fury had lost her tail and couldn't fly anymore on her own, and that she was very sad about it, but to please not bring it up or get curious about her stub yet. She also told Eric to please not talk about my burns, either.

Fury had managed to fall asleep against Toothless as I just sat and watched them both, as my head continued to clear, and the pain returned somewhat. I must have second-guessed our shared decision to leave Fury in that net, and safeguard our children at her urging a dozen times over while we waited for Astrid to come back with Eric and Little Toothless. From his looks as he watched both Fury and glanced at me at times, Toothless was making his own regretful second guesses as well.

"I'm sorry, bud," I whispered to Toothless as Fury slept beside him. "I'm so sorry."

Toothless, the wise, patient being he so often was now, looked at his sleeping mate, and then at me. He gently stretched his head towards me, and I tearfully shifted on my knees and embraced his head. Both he and I needed to forgive ourselves over what had happened — if nothing else so that we could be the partners now each of our mates now needed us to be. He and I emerged from our embrace, and then he looked with such devotion towards Fury. He was fully prepared to help her, and to love her, through what was to come.

— — — — —

Finally, we heard Needles landing in front of our beach house, which caused Fury to begin stirring again. It took just a small movement of her tail stub though to cause her to look down with the realization that what she had experienced sadly hadn't been a dream. Toothless gently murmured at her, gesturing with his head towards Little Toothless, who was now just outside our front door.

Astrid and I just looked at each other sadly as she entered the house ahead of the little dragon.

"How are you doing?" she finally asked as she came to me.

"I'm okay," I replied as I gently tried to embrace her without using my hands.

"That bad, huh?" she knowingly replied.

"Yeah," I admitted, as the pain throbbed again when I moved.

"I'm going to get you drunk again for a while," she decided, "in just a minute here."

"You can't keep getting me drunk all the time," I noted. "I'm just going to have to deal with this. I'll make it, Astrid . . . I will. I have this under control, and I promise, I won't snap at anyone."

"You don't have to suffer though," she said with concern. "I don't want you to."

"I'll ask for mead as I need it," I compromised. "But otherwise, just love me, okay? It's better than mead, way better . . . and your love doesn't leave me with a headache afterwards."

"Okay," Astrid smiled as she held me tightly. "You got it — all I can give."

"We'll be good," I assured as I held her tightly, too. Somehow, the pain was becoming bearable.

Toothless, Astrid and I all then gathered around Fury as she was reunited with her son. My son looked frightened when he first laid eyes on me however.

"It's alright, Eric," I assured him, kneeling down and opening my arms for him as Astrid stood by my side. "I just got burned on my head and hands while saving Toothless, Little Toothless, and myself. It's still me, your daddy, in here under these bandages."

Eric stopped and shook his head.

"I still love your father, Eric," Astrid said as she kneeled down beside me as well, "more than ever, in fact. You can, too, okay?"

"I did this, suffered this," I said openly to him, "for us, for our family."

Eric started crying, but he came into my arms anyway. Astrid and I both cried as well, as we embraced our son now.

"We're gonna need your help here, alright?" I said to him. "Our whole family will need your help."

"Okay, Daddy," Eric sadly accepted as we all looked next to us, seeing the dragons were tearfully nudging against each other, too. Soon we were all quietly crying together as a family.

On her own, Fury eventually swung forward her bandaged stub to show her son, and our Eric, too. She then silently swung it back behind her. That would be the only time she wanted to deal with that subject. Little Toothless moved to silently nudge her. Fury accepted it, but then turned her head towards Toothless, closing her eyes and burying her face against his neck.

Toothless just grunted and motioned with his head for Little Toothless to come to his other side for the time being. His son obediently moved beside him, and Toothless turned his head and nudged the little Fury in comfort.

"Toothless, you and your son need to eat and drink, too," Astrid gently noted. "We all do."

"I wish I could help you get dinner ready for all of us," I offered.

"Come keep me company anyway," my wife invited, keeping an arm around me as she patted my chest with her other hand.

"What do I do?" Eric asked.

"You can come help us make dinner, if you like," my wife suggested.

Toothless grunted at our son though, and through a head gesture, invited Eric to keep a now very somber Little Toothless company with him.

"Can I keep Wittle Toofess company, like Toofess is asking me to?" Eric asked.

"Of course you can," my wife gently smiled.

As Eric went and sat down next to Little Toothless, Toothless looked at Astrid and I as we got up to go to the cooking area. I tearfully smiled at him, and he gave us a grateful and satisfied look.

Needles just settled down next to Toothless, Eric, and everyone else while I stood beside Astrid as she prepared our food.

"Look at them all," Astrid mentioned to me. I looked over with her to see Little Toothless, Eric and Fury now all napping around Toothless as he protectively watched over them. Even Needles was dozing alongside as well.

"I want to take care of you like that tonight," I whispered as I held her.

"You already are," she assured me with a kiss, as she resumed preparing our food.

Soon, Astrid brought out fish — raw for the dragons, and roasted for us. Instead of eating at our table, this time she just set everything out in front of Fury and Toothless, and we sat down on the floor with them in a circle.

Astrid then brought over fresh buckets of mead tea for each of the dragons, including a small bucket for Little Toothless, and even a mug of it for Eric, who said he wanted some.

"Make mine the same," I smiled.

"Why not," Astrid answered. "Mead tea all 'round tonight."

She then returned with mugs of mead tea for us and sat down on the floor next to me.

"Drink," she invited, as my wife proceeded to feed me some of the tea. I just smiled as I compliantly took a few sips from her.

"I don't imagine you, Toothless and Fury, necessarily have the same ideas of gods and heaven that we do," she then noted, turning towards them. "But on this day of such great sadness for all of us, I just want to let you know that I'm grateful for this family of ours . . . how we're coming together here, and starting to pull through this. While you dragons probably wouldn't understand a prayer or toast, there is one thing that we can all understand. Hiccup, would you pick a fish for us to share as a family? Just point to it though, okay?"

"Let's make it a raw one this time, for the dragons," I said, as I pointed to a large cod with one bandaged hand. Astrid then picked it up and held in front of me as I took a bite. Swallowing raw fish still wasn't great to me, but I hid my aversion better this time. Our family, and Fury . . . they were just more important.

Astrid then offered it to Toothless as leader of the dragon side of our family. He took a bite of it as he looked at us. My wife then took a bite before offering the fish to Fury. Fury looked at it, as well as at us, and Toothless. He murmured and nodded affirmatively. Fury then cautiously took a bite as Astrid held it for her.

"Could I offer the fish to Wittle Toofess?" Eric asked.

"Here you go," Astrid said as she passed the fish over to him, "and don't forget about Needles, too."

Astrid then shifted and kneeled close beside me as Eric then offered it for Little Toothless to take a bite from, and even to Needles, before taking the last bite himself.

"Way to go, Eric," I praised my son, remembering to refrain from rubbing his head however, for the sake of my hand. "Next time, I'm going last."

We all looked around our circle at each other after that, before digging in to all the rest of the fish and mead tea set out among us.

"Nuh uh," my wife reminded me as I was about to pick up a nicely roasted fish anyway. "My job now, and my pleasure."

"Thank you," I said appreciatively. "But how long are the bandages going to stay on?" I then asked, before taking a bite of fish as she held it up for me.

"Could be a month or two," she replied. "I'll be regularly checking your burns as I change the bandages and apply fresh paste though. We'll see."

I just looked through my one unbandaged eye with admiration and love at Astrid as she fed me as much fish and mead tea as I wanted.

"Don't forget to eat and drink yourself," I reminded her. "Here, let me at least nudge you as you eat."

I just moved over against Astrid, as she began feeding herself. I savored every movement I could feel her make, even every swallow of hers. I felt miraculously close to her now. She would just turn her head and look at me every once in a while, smiling, even as she chewed.

As we all finished eating, Fury and Toothless looked at their son, and then at me. They then extended their heads toward me together, closing their eyes as they did. I moved across our circle towards them, nudging and embracing them in return.

"You're welcome," I said in acceptance, recognizing they were thanking me together for saving the life of their son, and Fury's life, too. "It's what we do for each other now, in this family . . ." I sniffed as I spread an arm around each of their heads, embracing them both. I could feel my wife now embracing me from the side, and my son and Needles and Little Toothless joining in as well.

That we were dragon or human didn't matter anymore. We were one, indivisible family now — two devoted couples, and our two children . . . and Needles.


	23. Bonus Chapter 7

While she had been able to eat and briefly forget her misfortune at that dinner of ours, Fury was otherwise so quiet now. She would tend to Little Toothless some. But mostly she would nudge him towards Toothless to care for. She didn't refuse Toothless though, nor turn him away. She was his now, totally. Her bond with Toothless, as well as with her son and the rest of us, was the only thing she had left.

We all slept together as a family that night after dinner, with Fury in the middle of us. She began allowing Toothless to place his protective and loving wing over her at night. He also began inviting her to use his head as a pillow, and she would often accept.

The first couple nights, Fury would utter deep, soft, plaintive moans for a while. Astrid and I would get out of our bed next to her, and just hold her as Toothless would nestle closely and gently moan with her as well.

Astrid would turn to comfort Eric and Little Toothless during these episodes. "Fury is crying for the loss of her tail, and that she can't fly on her own anymore," she explained the first night. "It's just very sad for us all."

We allowed the days to pass quietly now, just being around Fury — being there for her as she mourned the loss of her freedom in the air, her life that no longer was. I sometimes could see her dreaming when she slept, her head gently turning this way and that, as she once again danced in the air as she used to in life. Her brief joy in those dreams was visible. My wife and I both watched her dream like that one night. It made us quietly cry.

"Hiccup . . ." Astrid would sometimes say as she quietly called me aside, before just crying against my shoulder. Even Toothless would sometimes gesture me over to him for a comforting nudge as Fury slept beside him.

"It's alright, bud," I'd say to Toothless as I'd embrace his head, while he'd sigh deeply. "You're doing good . . . real good."

But whenever Fury was awake, he would be there for her, unconditionally. Our whole family, dragon and human alike, just leaned on each other a lot during this period.

Toothless and I showed his tail rig to her a few days later, but Fury wouldn't look at it. She would now not look at him, or her own son, take off or fly, either . . . not that I could fly on Toothless very well or often now anyway with my hands bandaged. She wouldn't even look at Needles fly though. Fury would walk with us along the beach. But that was it.

"Give her time," I sighed to Astrid one day.

"I know," my wife simply agreed. "Come here for a moment though, sit with me," she invited as we sat down on the step in front of the door to our house. "How are you doing? You've been pretty quiet, too, lately."

I just sat, sighed, and shrugged. I didn't have much to say.

"You haven't been asking me for time alone with you . . . anything," Astrid noted.

"It's my hands . . . and Fury," I sighed, stating the obvious.

"So?" my wife said anyway.

"So . . . I don't feel like much of anything lately," I replied, "and with my hands bandaged like this, I couldn't do much of anything anyway."

I looked back inside at Fury just laying on the floor, with Toothless supportively resting his head on her neck this time, as Astrid looked back with me. Both dragons just silently looked at us as well, with a mixture of sadness and boredom. Even Eric and Little Toothless were just sitting next to them today, looking bored as well.

My wife just silently got up and moved behind me, and began firmly rubbing my shoulders.

"Ohh, that feels good," I sighed.

"Makes you feel better?" Astrid queried.

"Yeah, it does," I admitted.

"We've done this for Toothless before, when he was feeling down," my wife noted. "How about we introduce Fury to the pleasure of a good massage?"

I looked at Astrid, with a smile. "Good idea," I said.

"But you're just watching, okay?" my wife smiled back.

"Astrid . . ." I sighed.

"Your hands, sir, are mine," Astrid quietly said as she kissed me, "and I want them back on me as soon as possible, deal?"

"Deal," I smiled. "You have a way about you, you know that?"

"It's why you married me," she replied with a smile of her own as we now both got up.

The two of us just quietly and slowly approached Fury and Toothless, as Toothless lifted his head off of her. Without saying a word, Astrid just gently laid her hands on Fury's neck, and began slowly rubbing, and itching. After giving Astrid an initial look of surprise, a blissful look began to emerge on Fury's face, for the first time since her tragedy. Toothless looked approvingly at us, and at Fury . . . and then began caressing the top of her head with his.

"I wanna rub Fury, too," Eric said as he now joined in, rubbing the side of her back with his small hands. Little Toothless, and even Needles, joined in, both nuzzling against Fury's side — even tickling her a little and causing her to laugh with her deep voice.

It was the first time we had ever heard that from Fury. Her laughter was so wonderful . . . so precious. It caused the rest of the family to rub her even more vigorously. Astrid chose to avoid rubbing too far down her tail though, not wanting to risk ruining this magic moment. I just obediently watched.

"Very good, husband," Astrid praised as she noticed my restraint.

"It's not easy," I replied with a smile.

"You, me, later," she said as she turned, giving me a kiss. "Promise."

I gave her a very questioning look.

"You deserve it," she assured. "We both do."

Being a little out of practice, she and everyone else soon exhausted themselves massaging and pleasurably itching Fury. But as they slowed down and stopped, Fury looked at Toothless and the rest of us as she sighed. There was a glimmer of gratitude, even joy in her eyes now.

"Way to go here, wife," I said as I grabbed Astrid with the sides of my arms and kissed her.

"Come on, family," Astrid suggested as she looked back into my eyes. "Let's take this up to the hot springs. We haven't been up there for a while now. You're keeping your hands out of the water however," she reminded me. "But, you get to enjoy me undressing you."

"You're bad," I said.

"Uh huh," she agreed with a smile.

We were all soon hiking up the trail together. When we arrived at the large, gently steaming pool, I glanced at my wife as we humans disrobed for our soak. Astrid smiled back at me, but I looked away.

"What?" she asked.

"It's not the right occasion," I excused.

"We'll see," Astrid mysteriously replied. "My turn," she added. "Hands up!"

I compliantly raised my hands over my head as she stripped my tunic and other clothes off me, as well as removing my leg rig.

"Keep 'em up there," she requested, "or at least out of the water, okay? We don't want that healing paste washing off."

"Alright," I sighed. "Holding these things up isn't exactly going to be relaxing for me however."

"Here," she invited as I placed an arm around her shoulder and she helped me sit down at the edge of the pool and slide in. "Now," she said once we were both in the water, "place both your arms around my shoulders and draaaww me in close to you, and I'll just help you keep those hands out of the water," she assured as she began kissing me.

"You're kissing a heavily-bandaged invalid here," I noted. "It can't be all that exciting."

"I'm kissing the man I love," she gently countered. "The man I'd do anything for."

"Family's around," I reminded her.

"So is your wife, and your mate," she replied with a little irritation.

"You shouldn't have invited everyone else up here then," I calmly suggested.

"You're right," she sighed, looking away and basically giving up.

"Astrid, what do you want me to do?" I asked as she broke away from me in the water.

"Playing along with me, at least a little, would be nice for starters," Astrid quietly shot back at me in exasperation. "But you're right. This isn't the occasion. My mistake."

"Astrid . . ." I quietly sighed.

"Okay," she then announced louder turning towards everyone else, "who's next for a massage in the hot springs?"

"Wittle Toofess!" Eric nominated.

"Okay, massage for Little Toothless!" my wife announced as everyone else began gathering around the uncertain young dragon, while I diligently kept my hands raised out of the water.

"It's alright," Astrid soothed to him, as she began pleasurably scratching his neck as the rest of the family carefully joined in. I just watched from the side of the pool.

Our family then descended on Needles, then Eric, and then Toothless in turn.

"Daddy's next!" Eric said enthusiastically.

"I don't know if Daddy wants it," Astrid replied coolly without looking at me. "How about Fury?"

"She already had hers!" Eric pointed out, still caught up in a spirit of fun, and not seeing the quiet resentment smoldering from my wife towards me.

"Astrid . . ." I said quietly.

My wife just briefly buried her face in her hands. "Never mind," she then said looking up again. "Eric, you're right . . . it's Daddy's turn."

"Eric," I said, "Mommy's been doing a lot for all of us here. Would you give her and I a moment . . . to talk?"

"Okay . . ." Eric accepted, more quietly and uncertainly now, as he then swam across the pool with Little Toothless, while the other dragons somehow picked up on the less than pleasant feelings between my wife and I, and gave us space as well.

"Astrid," I said softly as I carefully approached her and put my arms around her shoulders, " . . . I'm sorry."

"I am your wife!" she angrily whispered. "But I feel like I've been anything but lately! I've been nurse, mommy, housegirl, dragon stablemaid . . . anything but a real wife, a woman who's loved and cared for. I know you're recovering from serious burns, and we're helping Fury to recover as well . . . but I've been giving all I have. I need something, too."

"You think I feel like a man, or a husband in all these bandages?" I sighed.

"You have been to me," she said. "But like you say, it's not the right occasion . . . again. So excuse me, but I have to put my 'mommy mask' on once more, before the demonic bad girl I want to be takes you right here and now."

I pulled her to me with my arms and kissed her anyway . . . forcefully, as she quietly cried with longing into my mouth, returning my kiss with equal passion.

"You feel like a man now?" she tearfully asked in a whisper with her eyes closed, as she pressed her forehead against mine. "My man?"

"Yes," I whispered intensely.

"Save it then. Hold that thought for me, please," she requested.

"Okay," I quietly replied.

Astrid just held me tightly for a moment as she buried her face against my neck and shoulder.

"I'd hold you tighter," I whispered, "except you told me to keep my hands out of the water, and your shoulders are a bit low right now."

Astrid quietly laughed into my shoulder, amid her frustration and sadness.

"Heck with it," I said as I now just plunged my bandaged hands into the water and wrapped my arms tightly around my wife. "I've heard that hot springs can be good for the body anyway."

"And the spirit," she said now looking at me, before she moved in and kissed me again. "Just don't get your head wet, okay?" she added. "I don't have enough washed spare bandages right now."

"Astrid . . . why not take a break from being my nurse?" I sighed warmly, looking into her eyes as we touched nose to nose, almost in the dragon way.

"I so want you," she whispered. "But you're right . . . it can't be here and now."

"Okay everyone," she said loudly again, looking at me, before I could say anything. "I've talked Daddy into it! Massage on Daddy!"

"I love you," I whispered in her ear anyway as I held her intensely one more time, "as a woman . . . my woman."

"Thank you," she whispered with tears in her eyes as Eric and everyone else gathered around us again.

"Just rest your head and shoulders on the edge here, give us your back, and let us do the rest, okay?" Astrid encouraged . . . almost gently directed me, with her 'mommy mask' once again firmly in place.

While Astrid emerged from the hot springs, quickly dried herself and went to work on my shoulders from above my head at the edge of the pool . . . it was a most interesting feeling as the two large Furies rubbed the tips of their leathery snouts in tandem along the sides of my back, while Little Toothless sniffed and licked the un-bandaged parts of my face. I even felt Eric rub and scratch the back of my head, as I'd done to him many times.

"Don't forget my neck," I sighed, allowing myself now to get into the spirit of things.

"Okay," I pleasantly sighed a little later. "It's Mommy's turn now. But you know," I added, "the edge of this hot springs pool here is awful hard to relax against. So we'd better have Mommy rest against me while she gets massaged here."

Astrid just slipped me a knowing, almost devilish smile as she eased back into the water and floated over against me while I stretched out my arms along the edge of the pool.

"Since I can't use my hands," I noted, "I'll just use my nose against Mommy's face, and ears, and neck. I might kiss her, too."

"Ewww!" Eric exclaimed. "No kissing!"

"Sorry, Mommy no can do!" Astrid apologized as she beat me to it and kissed me with a hidden intensity, as the two large Furies now dutifully rubbed their snouts against her shoulders and Eric just whined, "Mommy!"

My wife and I just quietly smiled to each other, before I tried to sniff and explore her face and neck just with my nose . . . imitating what Little Toothless had done with me. Together we all caused Astrid to laugh hysterically.

"Mercy! Stop! Please!" she cried out as she tried to catch her breath.

"Okay," I said as I now brought my hands protectively over her back, kind of warding everyone else off. "Easy on Mommy here!"

"Thank you . . . my rescuer," she sighed. "Interesting sensation isn't it?" she openly said after she calmed down, "having dragon snouts rubbing against your shoulders."

"Uh huh," I smiled. "I wouldn't recommend it with other dragons though. Furies are the only ones who can retract their teeth."

— — — — —

"Everyone, thank you for this," I said afterwards as we finally all relaxed around the pool. "Wonderful idea," I quietly congratulated my wife as I cradled her in my lap as we soaked some more.

"Yeah . . . but," she hinted, looking at me in a certain way with a slight smile.

"Not during a family soak," I gently reminded her. "Besides, this is for Fury," I whispered.

"I know," my wife whispered back. "But, since this is for Fury . . . I have another idea. Let's see if we can leave them here for a while . . . convince them to stay. They deserve a 'date night' here if any of us do."

So Astrid and I got out of the pool. She dried both of us off and quickly got us dressed. Toothless and Fury now saw what we were doing and started making motions themselves to get out as well.

"No, Fury, Toothless . . . stay," my wife encouraged as she went over to them, holding out a hand to stop them. "Just stay for a while . . . care for your mate, heal each other. Eric, bring Little Toothless with you. Needles, come."

Toothless looked at Fury and started gently nuzzling her neck and head. She didn't refuse him.

As Astrid and I turned to go, we heard that loud, telltale smooching again, and turned back. We both smiled this time as we saw Toothless and Fury really beginning to kiss. They were actually making out!

"You know," my wife quietly commented, "that is really cute. I don't know why we found it so funny the first time a while ago."

"I think the loud smooching sound they make might have had something to do with it," I noted. "I'm proud of him though . . . romancing her like that, taking her mind off of how things are for her now."

"He's a real mate to her," Astrid agreed, " . . . your level actually."

"Really?" I said, inwardly flattered.

"Really," she assured. "You are that good."

"I don't think I was a while ago," I suggested.

"You were just feeling down yourself," she empathized. "It's tough to feel like the sexy, desirable guy you are under all those bandages."

Hands or no, I just had to stop her and take her into my arms and hug her for that . . . really hug her.

"Hold that thought a little longer," she softly suggested before we turned and started leading the rest of the family down the trail while Toothless and Fury remained in the hot springs together.

"You're a genius tonight," I had to admire as we walked down the hill.

"Just tonight?" my wife smiled.

"Sorry again . . . _every_ night!" I smiled as well.

"That's better," Astrid playfully replied.

"You are terrible, you know that?" I added warmly.

"It's my demonic side," she said, looking at me in a very alluring way, but saying nothing more. She didn't need to.

We soon were back down on the beach, approaching the house.

"Wait here on the porch," Astrid invited, "while I put our little ones to bed."

"Okay . . ." I replied, having an idea of what my wife had in mind.

I sighed as I looked out across the beach and sea. It was another warm, moonlit summer night . . . but they wouldn't be lasting much longer. I mused for a moment as I could hear Toothless and Fury roaring in ecstacy together back up at the hot springs, and not for the only time that night either. "Way to go, buddy," I quietly admired looking back in their direction, "Way to go, both of you."

Their roaring helped me to recognize that Astrid had been taking wonderful care of me lately, but I hadn't exactly been taking wonderful care of her.

A few moments later, Astrid returned with two mugs of warm, soothing mead tea.

"What's this for?" I asked.

"To get you in the mood," she smiled as she offered me a few sips of tea.

"Get _me_ in the mood?" I smiled between sips.

"Yeah, you," she confirmed playfully. "You've been incredibly resistant to my charms and suggestions lately."

"'Mommy mask' coming off now?" I asked.

"Yeah, it is," she replied, moving up beside me. "But the 'nurse mask' is still on. How are those hands of yours doing? We'd better dry and re-bandage those first," she sighed.

"They can wait," I suggested. "You hear Toothless and Fury roaring up there?"

"Yeah, I do," Astrid replied with a smile as she looked up their way now. "But those hands can't wait where I want them . . . on the sand," she continued smiling as she got up again.

"The sand?" I wondered to her as she went back in the house.

Soon she was back with the cold paste and fresh bandages . . . a routine we were both very familiar with by now.

"Astrid, I feel I'm racking up a real 'I owe you' here," I said as she worked on me.

"I wouldn't disagree," she replied as she focused on re-bandaging the last of my hands.

"Still not healed?" I asked.

"Nope," she said.

"I can't do anything like I am right now," I sighed regretfully.

"That's a good thing tonight, actually," Astrid replied, "because I've always wanted to be the one doing things, for you. So lay down, mister, on that sand right over there. Place your hands above your head, and keep them there . . . and let me do everything else," she almost ordered to my surprise, before adding, " . . . please?"

She now closed the distance between us on the porch and kissed me, hard. I looked at her with my one un-bandaged eye.

"Astrid . . ." I said, with a mixture of wonder and gratitude, "is this part of my 'I owe you'?"

"Yep," she smiled as she got up again. "I'll meet 'ya over there, okay?"

I dared not refuse her now as I looked into her eyes.

I then obediently got up as she stood up beside me. She went back into the house again with the dirty bandages while I walked a few steps out onto the open beach, lit brightly by the moon, as the surf soothingly washed onto the rocks and sand nearby. I then lay down on my back on the sand, and raised my arms above my head as I began waiting for her.

"Good boy!" Astrid praised as she came back a moment later with her hands folded behind the back of her tan tunic.

"I'm gonna have a hard time keeping my hands above my head here," I warned.

"Allow me to help," she encouraged as she produced a short section of rope and a small wooden stake. My wife proceeded to kneel down and gently bind my wrists together around the stake, and then pushed the stake into the sand above my head.

"You can easily pull that out and free yourself," she noted. "But I'd appreciate, even enjoy it, if you didn't. Would you promise me?"

"Astrid," I sighed with a very appreciative smile now, " . . . I promise."

"Good boy . . ." she softly praised again as she lay down beside me and began to kiss me and run her hands over my clothing, and then under my tunic. While I strove to keep my hands and arms above me, I could not stop the rest of me starting to squirm as my wife rubbed my sides.

"It's been a while . . . for us," my wife smiled as she embraced and kissed me again.

"Too long," I sighed as her sensual touch on my sides caused me to take a sharp, deep breath again. "I'm sorry, Astrid."

"Rule Number Three," she lovingly invoked with a whisper into my ear, sending yet more shivers washing through me.

"But I'm not doing anything for you right now," I whispered back to her, remembering that rule from our first marriage night alone together at our cove house.

"Ohh yes you are," she quietly assured with a smile. "But you just can't lay still, can you?"

"I'm trying . . ." I sighed. "Normally my hands do a lot of the moving."

"I know," she warmly empathized. "But I enjoy a challenge," my wife whispered as she just pinned me, all of me, against the sand.

I decided to put up a gentle fight with everything but my hands and arms.

"Oooo, good boy!" Astrid praised as she began to fight even harder to restrain me against the sand. Her primal warrior came out to claim me. I decided to put everything into it as I now resisted and wrestled with my body every step of the way, giving her the fight I knew part of her craved. Then I tactically surprised her as I swiftly wrapped my legs around her hard, and writhed with my whole body to flip us both over . . . all with my hands still around the stake, in the sand.

"There!" I said triumphantly as I kissed her, hard and wantonly.

"Hiccup . . ." she breathlessly admired from beneath me. She then embraced me tightly, before we just looked at each other nose to nose, breathing hard . . . with me still pinning her down, while my hands were still bound above my head, to that stake in the sand.

"Allow me to concede defeat," she said softly to my surprise, "to my warrior husband . . . my most worthy opponent, and mate."

"Astrid?" I quietly asked, amazed.

"Allow me, my conqueror," she continued, "to pay you your proper due . . . to give you, both of us, what we deserve . . . please?"

I then relaxed my body.

"Roll us back over," I directed in the way she seemed to want.

"Yes, my husband," she replied with a surprising obedience and respect. While never taking her gaze off my eyes, she now rolled both of us back over again.

Even though she was over me once more, Astrid now looked at me, for the first time, like I had truly fought and overcome her fair and square. I had to admit she'd been somewhat dominant among the two of us, a good portion of the time we had been together. I actually hadn't minded that. But now, four years into our marriage, a dynamic had suddenly shifted. Something new opened between her and I.

"Hiccup . . ." she whispered, with a mixture of real respect, even admiration, and yet desire. "What would you like next?"

I looked almost incredulously at her for a moment.

"You've beat me in the one area I never thought you would," she explained. "Your capture and flip of me while keeping your hands up there was incredible. I'm honestly enjoying it. So, tell me . . . what you like next?"

"Care for me . . ." I softly commanded as I looked at her.

"Yes, my love," she replied, reminding me that genuine love was behind it all, as I now allowed her to do what she wanted.

Astrid then proceeded to nurture, even heal me, heal both of us, passionately, in a way we had been neglecting . . . right there on that beach, under that full moon. Soon, nothing separated or hid us. Even though I was theoretically bound to a stake, I had never felt so free in my life. But it took all of my willpower not to pull that stake out of the sand, as I chose instead to channel my desire, my passion, to other places within me.

Toothless and Fury were roaring once more. "I so want to roar for joy like they are," Astrid wished breathlessly to me.

"Kiss me. Roar in my mouth, as I roar with you," I just quietly ordered. Suddenly, Astrid and I were roaring like dragons, all within the private world of a shared, passionate kiss. We then whimpered, crying with joy together as our mouths remained connected, never having felt or expressed our love so intensely before.

"Now I know why dragons roar," Astrid sighed, relaxing against me and cradling my head with her enfolded arms.

I now so wanted to hold, to cradle my wife . . . but a promise still prevented me. But, I then remembered, I was the one giving orders here. "Release me from my bonds," I spoke softly but authoritatively.

"Yes, my sir," my wife whispered in my ear as she reached up above us. "You have truly been a man of your word tonight, so I free you at last. But please would you just gently bring those bandaged hands of yours around me, and allow me to wrap your cloak over us here?"

Suddenly, I just felt like I was with a different woman tonight. "Are you the same Astrid?" I now couldn't help asking as I finally lowered and stretched my arms with relief. "The one who used to punch me?"

Astrid looked at me for a moment as she just lay on me. "You wouldn't make a very good conqueror," she sighed, returning to her old mindset, right along with me.

I could see she was now disappointed. I didn't want her to be though. She desired a slightly different husband tonight . . . one she wanted to admire and look up to, instead of feel that she could tell what to do. So, I gave her a mysterious smile, before I suddenly seized her with my legs again and bracing with my elbows this time, flipped us over even faster.

"Lie still," I commanded.

"Yes, my Lord," Astrid replied with a big smile as I forcefully kissed her while keeping my bandaged hands out of the way.

I then froze amid our passions as we then heard footsteps in the sand quietly approaching while I felt Astrid quickly grab and draw my cloak over us. Fortunately, those footsteps weren't coming from the house however.

"Hi, Toothless, Fury," I said as both Astrid and I looked over at them with somewhat guilty relief as they returned from the hot springs.

I was inwardly afraid that they'd look at least a little critically at us for leaving both our kids alone in the house. But instead, they just gave us warm, approving looks as Toothless then turned and caressed Fury with his head. He then kissed Fury . . . loudly again . . . before murmuring and motioning to her, inviting her inside the house. Toothless just looked back at me as they went in, seeming to invite Astrid and I to continue enjoying ourselves outside a while longer together.

After watching them go inside, Astrid just returned to looking at me. She quietly smiled, and proceeded to kiss me again.

"You don't think we should go in the house now, too?" I asked.

"This is important," Astrid decided, " . . . so long as my victor thinks so."

"You are wise, my conquered one," I said softly, really enjoying this role now as I resumed kissing her.

"I love you," my wife said, dropping her own role for a moment, " . . . I really love you . . ."

Both of our couples had begun to find important healing that night.

— — — — —

Toothless, Fury, Astrid and I began offering each other regular 'date nights' up at the hot springs after that. One couple would go up to the springs, while the other would watch the children down at the house. And Astrid and I were better about actually _watching_ the children after that night, when it was our turn . . . even though nothing bad had happened that first time.

"You gotta tell me and my bad self to watch it," Astrid whispered quietly with some guilt to me in bed one night as Eric and Little Toothless slept peacefully near us. "I'm still surprised Toothless and Fury trust us with their child after that."

"Astrid, I am as guilty as you are," I whispered back, smiling as I held my arms around her and taking my measure of responsibility for what was a _very_ good time between us.

"Thank you," my wife whispered appreciatively as she nestled close against my neck. "You know, you've changed a little since that night . . . and I like it."

"I feel a little different," I agreed, whispering in her ear. "But if Toothless is one thing . . . he's very understanding, especially now that he has a mate to love and cherish, too."

"I want them to know the joy that we do," Astrid then whispered in my ear.

"They're starting to," I quietly assured. "We just do our share of watching the kids . . . _really_ watching the kids, so they can relax together . . . and it'll happen for them, you'll see."

— — — — —

Slowly, Fury started to feel better. She would come back down the trail to the house with a very relaxed look on her face after her hot springs dates with Toothless, nudging and sighing against him a lot. Toothless and I just shared knowing looks and smiles at times, as he'd pass by with Fury. Dragons in love . . . I was so happy for my friend, so happy for both of them.

Astrid and I appreciated our date nights up there as well, and put them to good use.

"Our second date night here . . . in a week," I marveled as Astrid lazily soaked against me one night when we were alone in the hot springs.

"Yeah," she sighed, looking up at me. "This is getting good, isn't it? I am feeling thoroughly reconnected with you now. You comfortable with your wrists held down by those stakes?"

"Yeah, they're holding this time," I smiled.

"Just a little bit longer," my wife assured. "Your hands are almost healed, and I can't wait for you to start using them again . . . on me."

I could only kiss her again, hard.

"You know, you ought to try having your wrists tied down here," I suggested. "I know I'd enjoy it."

"Come here, you . . ." she smiled.

"Can't," I replied, "you have me tied down here . . . pretty firmly this time. But, you're gonna come to me," I added, as I grabbed her with my legs once again, as she feigned trying to swim away.

We just laughed together as I brought her close to me again.

"Would you train with me when you get better?" Astrid suddenly invited, turning towards me. "Spar with me . . . help keep me, both of us, sharp?"

"Why?" I asked.

"Because you're capable of becoming that good now," she replied. "I really think so. I've missed personal fight training like I used to do on my own. I stopped because I married you. We became kind of stuck in our house during that first winter, we cared for Toothless and I became pregnant . . . plus I was always afraid I'd really hurt you. Eventually, I became okay with the idea that I'd leave my fighting side behind. But when you wrestled with me on the sand the other night . . . and honestly beat me, with your hands tied . . . that both wow'ed me, and reawakened the fighter within me."

"Really," I said, intrigued.

"Do you know what a dream come true, even a fantasy, it would be if you'd train and fight with me?" she said.

"I'm beginning to get an idea," I smiled.

"We could have some wild, wonderful times in the woods outside our village," she suggested. "I'll even teach you my best and most secret moves . . . and the loser will treat the winner _verrry_ well, especially when I lose."

"Astrid," I smiled, "you're on. And I will be taking you down . . . sometimes."

"Promise?" she asked warmly.

"Promise," I assured, looking right into her eyes.

— — — — —

A big day finally came for me though.

"Okay," Astrid invited as she unwrapped my bandages, "let's see how those hands of yours are doing this morning."

The healing skin was still reddened, and the texture was smoother than the surrounding skin.

"How does that feel?" she said as she pressed against the new skin on my hands.

"Feels okay . . . even good," I replied. "How do my face and head look?"

"We're making progress here," she said indirectly.

"Am I still hideous?" I asked.

"No," she assured as she kissed me. "You've never been hideous. I'd show you what you look like, but we just haven't had mirrors with us here. There are still a few gaps in your hair where your scalp is recovering . . . here, here, and here," she said, tracing her fingers over the bare spots on my head. "The hair is starting to grow back there though, but there's still a diagonal red mark on your face. If you want to continue trying to heal all that, let's keep you wearing herbal paste bandages on your head a while longer."

"As for your hands, I'm still going to give you paste wraps at night to continue your healing some more," Astrid decided. "But," she then said, taking both my hands in hers, "you get to start feeling the world again, through these . . . right now. Even starting with me."

I stood up and really took her into my arms, running my hands up and down the back of her tunic. Even that felt good.

"You take good care of me, you know that?" I gently said to her.

"I wish the care I'm giving you was healing you a little faster, and better," she sighed.

"So I am hideous," I deduced.

"No," she said again, shaking her head with a tear in her eye. "Not to me . . . never to me."

I just kissed her, passionately, as she gently ran her fingers through my hair, gaps and all.

"I think you could use some care this morning," I said to her.

"Really?" she replied.

"Yeah," I assured as I held her. "You need it . . . and I have two grateful hands that are ready and available now."

"Everyone's up and about now though," she said, looking around, "and we're supposed to make a fish run here."

"Eric," I said, still looking at my wife, "I'm taking your mom for a walk here. We'll be back in a while."

"Again?" he whined.

"Look, kiddo," I said with a smile, "my hands are finally out of bandages. That's a big deal to me, and I'd like to celebrate a little with my wife . . . just for a while, okay?"

"Could I ride Toofess then? I'll get fish!" he offered.

"No!" I smiled again. "You're not big enough yet, and you can't work his stirrups. Just play on the beach, alright? We'll be back before long. Toothless, watch him," I asked the lead dragon in our family.

Toothless gave a ready grunt to me, and then cast a stern gaze on Eric.

"Now I'll really have no fun," Eric sighed. "When you say that, he watches me too hard."

"Okay," I said, compromising, "Toothless, would you give Eric a ride . . . on the ground?"

"Alright!" Eric cheered, as Toothless gave me a knowing and slightly irked look as I lifted my son onto his neck.

"Would you mind, bud?" I asked, kind of after the fact.

Toothless relented and gave me a pleasant grunt and a shrug. He then grunted and motioned to his own son to climb up his tail and back and join Eric. He grunted and invited Fury along as well, and out the door they all went, with Needles tagging along, too.

"We owe that dragon," my wife sighed next to me.

"Yeah, we do," I agreed. "But now it's your turn . . . hot springs, or here?"

"It's a warm, sunny day, and those hands could use a bit of tanning," Astrid decided. "So let's go up to the hot springs. I'm even willing to try out having my wrists tied to those stakes this time, as long as I get a full massage with those freshly unwrapped hands of yours . . . and no tickling, deal?"

"You tickled me the last time," I reminded her.

"I know, that's why I'm asking . . . deal?" she repeated.

"That's not fair," I objected.

"Please, my Lord," she got down on her knees and begged me.

"Okay . . . deal," I finally relented, smiling.

"Thank you," she said appreciatively as she got up again and gave me a kiss. "This way, I can relax and enjoy it."

"Gee . . . I wonder why you can relax and enjoy it?" I sighed.

"I didn't say you couldn't tickle me . . . before then," she hinted.

I had her collapsed on the floor of our house, curled up tightly in a fetal position, laughing breathlessly as I mercilessly tickled her . . . all within an instant of her saying that.

She then decided to fight back valiantly however. Before I knew it, she had flipped and pinned me to the floor as she was now kissing my lips ferociously.

After enjoying one kiss from her, I fought right back however, throwing her off me. She just rolled right onto her feet as we both rose to attack postures.

"Surprise," I said. "Glad we're both equally out of shape here. But not for long."

"Ohh wow . . ." my wife marveled as she nonetheless stood ready to attack me.

"It's the least you deserve from me," I offered. "Bring it."

"Hands a little higher," she suggested. "You're fending me off, not punching me . . . I hope! Plus your feet should be a little further apart to improve your balance."

"Thanks," I replied, adjusting my stance accordingly. "Like this?" I asked.

"Uh huh," she eagerly confirmed with a look of wonder, even hunger, in her eyes now. "I want you . . ." she said as we circled each other.

"Earn me," the new me invited with a smile.

This was looking to be a _very_ good day.


	24. Bonus Chapter 8

"Hiccup . . . thank you," Astrid said as we curled up together against our front porch, sitting on our mattress and enjoying another sunset.

It had been my idea to just bring it outside this evening, and even just sleep under the stars while we could. The rest of the family was out on the sand with us. Eric and all three Furies plus Needles were even playing in the surf at sunset. My wife and I had been joining them earlier, but then Astrid made the excuse that she needed to change my head bandages, and we had just been curled up together on the mattress since then.

"Would you like to . . ." I began to romantically hint to her with a smile.

Astrid looked at me for a second with a knowing smile of her own, but then decided, "Nah, I'm feeling good tonight, just like this . . . unless you want to. I'd _always_ be happy to enjoy it with you."

"Nah, I'm satisfied here, too," I smiled as I softly kissed her. We nestled against each other tighter. "It'll be good practice for when we're living back in the village again."

"Please let's not go back to living like that again," Astrid sighed.

I just kissed her again as I drew her closer to me. It was a promise I wanted to make, but I just was not sure we could both really live up to it.

"I am going to miss this," she noted.

"I'll be around to remind you of it," I assured as I kissed her forehead.

"I'm glad," she said. "I'll just want lots of baths with you through the winter . . . no matter what, okay? I am going to bathe with you, you will not refuse me, and we will romance each other in the tub — even when we're not totally alone if we have to, alright?"

"Promise," I accepted as I gave her another kiss. "Besides, we'll need those warm baths, especially after we pin each other in the snow."

"Gods, I am in love with you now, you know that?" Astrid sighed. "I had always encouraged you to be a better warrior, and you have been. But I never, ever knew there was a fighter in you, too . . . one that could match me in such an incredible way. I am still blown away by you, and how we fight together now. It makes me truly lustful for you . . . it really does."

"Well, Astrid!" I smiled as I looked at her again.

She just smiled admiringly at me, too.

"You've helped me find a better self within me, though . . . you know that?" I said gently to her. "For the first time I _feel_ like a chief, and a warrior—like the husband you've deserved. I know I can conquer if I have to, and really command. I feel I'm as good as you now . . . that I can, and even have the right to, lay claim to you as my wife and mate. I enjoy fighting you—both winning, and even losing to you. I enjoy us challenging each other. Every day is a real kick with you now, literally! Wow, Astrid. That's all I can say. Wow."

"Hiccup, we are so gonna have an awesome life together now, no matter what," she said intensely. "Even when we can't make love, or even train and fight . . . I'm looking at you differently now. I feel something different when we hold each other, just like this. And this is gonna stay with me, and us. I swear."

"Just your presence," I said as I held her tightly, "it's all I need now. But I won't give up on the really good stuff for us. You and I will fight, and love passionately. I swear, too."

She could only kiss me.

We then sighed again together, as we watched the rest of our family play in the surf. Eric was riding Toothless' neck now while Little Toothless was riding on Fury's shoulders as the two large dragons ran full bore along the beach at the water's edge in front of us, kicking up spray as they went, with Needles giving chase as well.

"You almost wouldn't know she's maimed . . . Fury," Astrid noted as we watched them go, "the way she's playing in the surf with everyone else now."

"She's better," I agreed, "but I don't think she's fully healed yet, at least not inside. Plus we'll have to take her away from her home here soon . . . the only one she's ever known. That could set her right back again."

"I hope not," my wife sighed. "But gee, that makes me wonder if it could set us right back again, too," she confessed, looking at me, "promises, passion, or no."

"We could use fighting to keep us where we want to be," I suggested.

"How?" she asked, intrigued.

"Okay, here's the deal," I continued. "If you don't feel I'm living up to things the way I should be, or you need to draw my attention to a problem . . . just attack me, wake me up to what we need to be taking care of together. One good flip from you ought to get my focus where it needs to be, and relieve your frustration . . . all at the same time."

"You are sooo my Viking," Astrid marveled.

"Flip me," I invited.

Astrid could just not resist as she now went on the attack and we began tussling under the quilts on our mattress outdoors . . . laughing, playing, kissing. At one point as she had me pinned under her, we paused, each breathing hard. I could tell that each of us was thinking about just tearing off the other's garments and really getting into it, hot and heavy. But, with our previous luck and experience of being 'uncomfortably discovered' at times . . .

"Nah!" Astrid and I decided together as we smiled and shook our heads at the same time. We just continued to playfully wrestle . . . fully clothed . . . instead this time.

"Truce!" my wife finally called, bringing our play to an end.

"Yeah right!" I replied, breathing hard. "When you're the one on top, pinning me down!"

"I love you," my wife finally sighed with sweet, even sweaty satisfied exhaustion as she settled comfortably beside me in my arms now.

"Like that's supposed to just buy me off and placate me, misses," I smiled, " . . . which it does, every single time."

Astrid just smiled as she proceeded to kiss me, deeply.

"Well," she then added, "the one time I was expecting us to get interrupted . . . and wouldn't 'ya know it, we were left alone!"

"I love you passionately, anyway," I assured as I held her tightly and kissed her again.

"But, the sun's down now and 'mommy duty' calls here," she wistfully noted as she looked towards the rest of the family down by the surf. "Eric, time to come to bed!" my wife then called. "Even outdoors here. You know you get cranky the next day if you don't get enough sleep! It's time we were all going to bed!"

"But Mommy, we can still see what we're doing . . . and it's not very cold!" our son protested.

"I'll ask Toothless . . ." Astrid warned.

"Never mind," we heard our son sigh, as we smiled at each other.

When it came to getting our son to do what we asked, there was no better 'enforcer' than Toothless. Tonight, we didn't even have to ask though, as we soon saw Toothless bringing our son to bed, carrying Eric by the seat of his pants . . . in his teeth!

"Don't even say his name anymore!" Eric said with annoyance as Toothless gently laid him down beside us, before the dragon side of our family bedded down with us as well.

— — — — —

We made every waning day of summer count now . . . going up to the hot springs for date nights, and still having family soaks up at there as well. Both Eric and Little Toothless would often ask Toothless for rides on his tail through the warm waters. Astrid could only offer them far less interesting spins in the water, and although I had just one leg while in the hot springs, with my hands healed at last, I offered them swim rides back and forth across the pool, towing them on my shoulders. Little Toothless' small claws were sharp as he held onto me!

Fury seemed to continue to regain her peace, serenity, and happiness we had seen in her before the tragedy . . . healing on the inside, along with the stub that was now her tail.

Astrid and I were also moved at the love we were seeing between Toothless and Fury. Amid the nudges and the looks they shared, it was growing stronger and deeper. Astrid even decided to throw them a wedding feast one night, just because . . . although I don't think they had any idea of what it was all about. They were just committed to each other now, that's all there was to it. Their love even began showing in how they cared for Little Toothless together. I don't think a young Night Fury ever had it so good, although both Toothless and Fury were still strict disciplinarians . . . tougher than Astrid and I were!

No more so than when Little Toothless finally developed the capability to fire blasts . . . something that evidently comes later in childhood to Night Furies. I can see why. It seems in hindsight now that both Toothless and Fury had been expecting this, even watching for it . . . which was why they kept such a tight rein on Little Toothless' outbursts of anger and frustration, common among most all children, no matter the species.

While Little Toothless had started to hiccup and burp puffs of smoke at times during the summer, there had been no flames or blasts from him yet. He had seen both his parents emit blasts in the past, but they hadn't encouraged him to start making his own.

Then one day, Eric and Little Toothless had been sharing a drawing stick on the beach, when an 'artistic difference' developed between them. Each of them came to feel strongly about making a different point . . . with the same stick. The inevitable happened. The stick was grabbed by both, and tugging ensued, followed by shouting and growling. When Little Toothless lost the stick to Eric, the young dragon looked angrily at Eric as he now instinctively adopted a unique stance and opened his mouth partway. Little Toothless drew his head back . . . and Fury suddenly issued an ear-splitting bark that echoed up and down the beach, freezing both him, and all the rest of us.

Fury now forcefully marched down the beach to Little Toothless, who was still frozen with his mouth open as he looked nervously at her approaching him. Fury issued more sharp, angry barks, with Toothless now approaching behind her as well, looking equally stern.

"What could the little guy have possibly done to deserve this from them?" my wife asked me as we continued to watch from the front porch of our house, after I had been helping her clean inside for a while.

"I don't know," I replied as I looked on. "But he is their child. Maybe our presence might moderate things, though. Let's go over there."

Toothless and Fury were now each issuing several more sharp barks in turn at Little Toothless. They were either reprimands or harsh questions . . . I couldn't tell. Little Toothless now lowered his head, making several soft little barks as he looked down. Our Eric now started crying though. Astrid and I went over to comfort him.

"What's wrong, sweetheart?" Astrid asked as we both knelt down next to him.

"Wittle Toofess just admitted he wanted to burn me . . . hurt me . . ." our son sobbed.

"He didn't mean it," my wife assured. "We all get a little mad at each other sometimes."

Astrid looked back at me though as she held and comforted Eric. We were both chilled at that admission. I then looked with some worry at Toothless. Once again as he always did however, Toothless gave me a reassuring look that no harm was going to come to our son. This was their commitment to our human side of the family . . . why they had been so strict with their son. They knew what could happen, what Little Toothless could do to Eric. But they simply weren't going to allow it, even the possibility of it.

Toothless now barked gently but firmly at his son and turned away. Little Toothless obediently turned with him as the rest of us began to follow. Soon Toothless stopped, gave some low barks at Little Toothless, before Toothless looked at a tall, thin, upright boulder and fired . . . shattering it with his blast.

Toothless then barked more gently at Little Toothless gesturing at a log in front of the now-shattered boulder. It was about the size of Eric, lying down. Little Toothless looked at it, as his father softly barked and gestured again, almost seemingly in encouragement this time.

Little Toothless drew his head back, opened his mouth . . . and fired his first blast. The log shattered into burning splinters with a bang. Toothless gently barked again and gestured towards Eric. Little Toothless now seemed horrified as he looked at our son, realizing what could have happened . . . what he could have done.

Eric looked with compassion on his friend though . . . his brother in a sense. Astrid and I were never so proud of our son as he now held out his hand in trust towards Little Toothless and slowly moved towards him. Little Toothless nudged his head against our son's outstretched hand, before moving further and nudging against Eric with his eyes closed, seeming to ask his forgiveness for almost doing the horrific thing he could have to his best friend and family member. Eric now embraced Little Toothless around his head tightly. Both were crying together. The rest of us did, too.

Little Toothless grunted a couple times as he looked up at our son as the two were still in their embrace.

"I know," Eric replied. "I know you protect me now. I protect you, too." He then grunted what must have been that pledge, so that Little Toothless could understand.

The last link of commitment within our family now fell into place. Astrid and I shared grateful looks with Toothless and Fury. The two of us couldn't say a thing now as we tearfully moved to embrace each of them.

"Now, blast that rock there!" we then heard Eric encourage Little Toothless in both our language and in grunts and gestures, as he pointed to a small boulder the size of a fish basket.

But Little Toothless looked nervously at his parents . . . grunting and gesturing at the rock, apparently asking them for permission.

Toothless grunted and nodded.

Little Toothless braced himself and then fired his biggest blast yet . . . still smaller than one of his parents' blasts, but big for him. It shattered the rock with an even louder bang.

"Alright!" Eric enthused.

"Don't go having him blast everything in sight now," Astrid warned, as Fury seemed to grunt a similar warning to her own son.

"We won't," Eric assured as he and Little Toothless now went off in search of more things to blast and destroy, as little boys are wont to do.

"Stay in sight of us!" I now warned as well. "Where we can see you!"

"Okay," our son assured, wandering off along the beach with the dragon who was both his true brother in spirit, and his guardian now.

It was a good day in our family.

— — — — —

Something else interesting was happening as well. Fury was able to start looking at Toothless' tail and its one remaining tailfin, as he would swish it back and forth through the water with the young ones on it up at the hot springs. She would lie next to him as they soaked, softly looking back with her head resting on him as he would move his tail. It seemed to calm, almost hypnotize her somehow. Eventually, she even began to swish what remained of her own tail alongside his . . . beginning to find acceptance, even harmony about it all, with him.

I needed that, too. Initially, when I'd see his half tail swishing in the water, I'd be reminded of what I'd originally done to him. Vowing to myself during that season that I'd no longer keep uncomfortable secrets from my wife anymore, I confessed this to Astrid one night.

As we soaked together and watched, Astrid just gently reminded me, "If you hadn't done what you did to him . . . all this, even Eric, even us . . . might not exist now. Toothless' tail, just the way it is, and even what you did, have become a great blessing to all of us. He's accepted it. It's time you did, too. Come," she invited, as she swam and led me across the hot springs pool to Toothless' tail.

"Toothless, everyone, we need to do something here, as a family," my wife said as she gently interrupted the children's ride for a moment, and brought his tail and me together. I had attached and unattached his rig many times to this tail . . . but I'd never just touched it, looked at it. After me, all the rest of us then touched it. Even Fury did as she now looked openly at him. Toothless simply allowed it. I could see that it was healing to him, too . . . helping to resolve things within him.

"Hiccup, sweetheart, come here into my arms sideways for a moment," my wife then said, inviting me to float in her arms, without telling me why.

I gave her a questioning look.

"Trust me," she asked.

As I allowed her to now pick me up in the water and held my right arm around her for support, Astrid cradled me and lifted my own leg stub to the surface, showing it openly to the rest of our family. They touched it gently . . . the dragons all sniffing and nudging it. I cried as my wife cradled me tightly in her arms.

Then, Astrid gently brought Fury's tail stub to the surface, and we did the same thing for her . . . touching it directly, accepting it . . . helping her to accept it. Toothless even gently licked Fury's stub as he looked directly into her eyes. She could only close her eyes as she moved to bury her face against his neck, while he lovingly laid his head on top of hers.

I miss those hot springs now . . . how they helped bring us together in so many wonderful ways as couples, and as a family.

— — — — —

By the end of the summer, Eric was speaking in Night Fury grunts and mannerisms as much as he was in our language. Little Toothless, Toothless, and even Fury related with him as readily as they did with each other. Eric would even tell us what they were really meaning at times. He was truly at ease in both the dragon world and the human world. I could see myself surrendering my village title of Dragon Master to him at an early age indeed! He was becoming a bridge between us all, and would have much to begin teaching the rest of us before long.

In fact, Eric was already beginning to teach and help us understand one another in new ways. He even made his own fourth birthday into a teaching experience, explaining through a long set of gestures and grunts to the dragons that humans celebrated the day each person was born, and that they were here and alive. Toothless and his side of the family seemed to have difficulty understanding quite what Eric was talking about at first . . . when it came to being born anyway. Birth evidently wasn't quite the same for them.

"Mommy, how was I born on my birthday?" Eric asked with a sigh while Astrid was preparing a deluxe spread of nicely roasted fish and her sweet bread for his birthday feast that evening.

"You came out of me," my wife matter-of-factly replied as she cooked. "But why are you asking?" she added with a slightly strange look.

"I'm trying to explain to the dragons about birthdays," he answered, "so they can have fun, too. But thanks."

He then translated to the dragons what Astrid had told him. Toothless nodded and grunted back.

"He says he remembers me coming out of you now," Eric now said with relief that he was being understood by them.

I just quietly laughed to myself as I watched all this.

Soon, we all sat down in our now customary family circle on the floor for Eric's birthday feast. While Astrid and I began eating, and the dragons all dug into their small piles of raw fish . . . Eric strangely almost waited.

"What's wrong, sweetheart?" Astrid asked our son with concern. "It's your favorite fish, even sweet bread here. Eat up, birthday boy!"

"Just a minute, Mommy," Eric replied. "You'll see."

Each of the dragons now regurgitated a raw fish in turn and nudged the fish towards him. Astrid just looked dumbfounded that Eric seemingly preferred their regurgitated raw fish to the roasted ones she had just made for him.

"It's the most important thing dragons do for others," Eric then explained to my wife and I, as he seemed to accept the fish from each of them with real gratitude. "Sharing and giving food they've eaten is giving life, even part of them, to another. It says they value us . . . even that they love us. They'll do it for you on your birthday, or an important day, or sometimes when they want to. Just have me tell them."

"Toothless, I had no idea," I said, now awed at remembering how he had done that for me when we first met. "I gave you a fish, life, when you were starving. You were showing me how grateful you were . . . by giving life to me, from you, even when you hadn't had much of a meal to share yourself. Buddy . . . wow. I don't know what to say."

"You got it, Daddy," Eric chimed in, agreeing with my realization, before dutifully translating my words for Toothless. Toothless just seemed to smile a little at me, making a few murmurs and grunts.

"He says, 'You're welcome, but today is Eric's day, not yours,'" my son translated back. "But he'll give you a fish on your day . . . they all will. He just kind of knew you didn't like it very much. But he's glad you understand now."

"Eric . . . son," I noted with a tear in my eye as I embraced him, "you're incredible, you know that?"

"We all are . . . together," he simply replied.

I couldn't disagree with him as I looked at my wife and the rest of our family.

"I thought I knew them," I added, "but Eric, you're helping me to understand them . . . as people."

"We're the first people they think of as dragon," he replied. "The first who didn't hurt them . . . who shared with them, helped them . . . and now listen to them."

That stopped me. I decided to pick up my fish and take a bite. But then I spat that bite back onto my plate and offered it to Toothless.

Toothless looked at me deeply, before murmuring and grunting to Eric while still gazing at me.

"He says he's grateful, but that it's not his day either," Eric translated. "He says it's my special day . . . that you should offer the fish to me. But you don't have to, Daddy."

"Yeah, son . . . I do," I replied as I now offered that bite of fish to him.

Toothless seemed to grunt with approval as Eric accepted and ate my bite of fish.

"He says now you are a dragon . . . a real dragon," my son translated while he chewed.

I bowed my head and looked down, tearfully humbled by the compliment Toothless had just bestowed on me through my son.

"You think I'm gonna be left out here?" Astrid then said as she took a bite of her fish and dropped it back out of her mouth onto her plate as well. "Happy birthday, Eric," she added as she offered it to him. "Let's just keep this to ourselves for now though, okay? It would really gross out Nana."

"Wow . . . thanks, Mommy," he replied, treating her gesture as a treasured birthday present. "You're giving me life here . . . your life, as a dragon . . . you know that?"

"I know . . . now, thanks to you, Eric," my wife said as she tearfully looked at me as well.

All this while, I thought we were giving Toothless and his side of the family a high compliment and honour of considering them as intelligent beings, even people. But it seemed to pale in comparison to their accepting us as dragon that night.

— — — — —

Sadly, it was time to go home to Berk however. Our house on the beach at the dragon's island was too exposed to survive the onslaught of the storms and ice that would come. So reluctantly, we broke it down and packed our belongings onto ships that Astrid had arranged for with her mother during brief flights she had been making back to the village lately on Needles.

Our time on that island was at an end. While I had once feared it would be a sad end for us . . . a final miracle . . . one of healing and true understanding and unity, had taken place. So we were able to see it for all the happy memories and other miracles the six of us, seven with Needles, had made there as a family . . . a dragon family, I now thought with pride.

We helped Fury board the last ship that came for us. Toothless and their son walked onboard as well. Needles . . . she was a problem though. She had trouble even fitting on the ship, and almost tipped us as she tried. While none of us wanted fly away from there, out of kindness for Fury . . . even Fury wound up inviting Needles to fly home, through grunting and gesturing with her head towards the air while looking at Needles. This time, Fury watched as Needles took off from the beach, without Astrid, as Astrid encouraged her to fly. Toothless, and the rest of us, were right beside Fury as that happened. My wife then reboarded the ship, our crew shoved us off from shore before clambering aboard, and we departed ourselves.

I became sad as we left, but I tried to hide it, not wanting Fury to feel any worse than she probably already was. With all the duties of being chief, the interruptions, and lack of privacy and simple time alone with my wife that we seemed to be returning to now . . . I really just didn't want to leave this second paradise we had discovered, that we had made, together. My wife noticed though, and drew close to me as I now gratefully held her from behind.

"We will come back here, someday," Astrid encouraged as we watched our beach recede into the distance. "I love you, and our family, too much not to."

I could only quietly hug my wife tighter as more and more of the sea continued to separate us from our haven . . . our heaven.

We looked over and saw Fury watching her island home recede as well. She, too, had a painful look of longing in her eyes. Tears were silently falling from her. Toothless was right there beside her, though . . . nudging her affectionately with his head, and giving her all the love and reassurance he could.

Both sad Furies now looked at us, as we looked at them. I tried to smile reassuringly at them, and they both moved their heads to nudge against Astrid and I. We understood each other. All four of us were feeling the same. There was suddenly an indescribable comfort in that. Together, we watched again as our island now disappeared amid the fog that protected it somewhat from the outside world.

At least Eric and Little Toothless were having fun exploring the ship, and experiencing the novelty of a sea voyage. But even they stopped to watch the island disappear as well. Astrid and I, and even Fury and Toothless, watched as our two boys just looked at each other and smiled. As long as they had one another now, everything would be good for them.

Those two boys couldn't help getting into a little mischief though, as Eric then convinced Little Toothless to fire off a harmless blast into the air for fun.

"Hey!" my wife interrupted. "No blasting on this ship, alright? And no blasts in the village either, without permission!"

"Okay, Mommy . . ." Eric sighed, as he then translated Astrid's new directives to Little Toothless.

Fury and Astrid exchanged looks, as only two mothers could. Fury's eyes relaxed a little for a moment, expressing gratitude for the intervention Astrid had taken care of for her.

"I got it here," my wife assured as she laid a hand on Fury's head. "We're a team. You just relax, okay?"

"Relief mom to a dragon now, eh?" I was able to smile as I continued to hold her.

"Yep," Astrid replied. "Me and Fury . . . we work together as moms in our family now. Same rules right across the board! But, as we both know now, I am dragon, too."

"Our family . . ." I sighed warmly as I hugged her tightly with a grateful tear in my eye.

" . . . Our wonderful family," my wife echoed as we now looked out across the sea again together.

I realized it was yet another step away from Fury's former life, though. Astrid and I could see that this move was reopening some regrets, even wounds, within Fury again as we sailed on across the now sunny, but mildly windswept sea. Although she was able to relax somewhat with Toothless next to her, Fury's eyes continued to silently betray her inner sadness. We just remained close beside her as well.

How would she do in the village? I just didn't know, as I now looked at Fury with some concern.

"We'll make it work," Astrid assured, once again reading my mind as I turned my head and looked at her in surprise. "This family . . . we will make it work, all of it."

* * *

_Note . . ._

_An extra thanks goes out to Toothless-the-NightFury (what a great user name, especially for a reader of this story!) for asking me in a message to see how Little Toothless started to breathe fire . . . which turned out to be a wonderful part of this chapter._

_What readers like you write to us authors does matter . . . and sometimes produces great story ideas like this . . . ideas that we may have missed!_

_With such additions as this though, there's still one more chapter in this story to come now!_

— _Norwesterner_


	25. Bonus Chapter 9

Berk now emerged from its own mists into view just as the sun was getting ready to set in the west. Having been on an island all by ourselves for months now . . . the village, and its harbour we were approaching seemed overwhelmingly busy.

"We'd better take your head bandage off," Astrid remembered. "We probably shouldn't alarm your dad, not to mention everyone else."

"The head underneath doesn't look too hideous still?" I asked.

"Your hair's almost fully grown back," my wife assured as she unwrapped the bandages off my head, "and the burn mark across your face is much better than it once was."

"I didn't hear a 'no' there," I observed.

"No," Astrid then replied as she kissed me while the ship now grazed against the dock and a gangplank was lowered for us. "Come on, Chief . . . it's 'showtime'. Let's lead this family home."

I so wanted to say, 'This is not home,' but I resisted the impulse and just weakly smiled as I walked across the gangplank now.

"What? Nothing to look forward to here?" my wife asked knowingly as she stepped onto the dock behind me ahead of the rest of our family.

I was already going into my resigned 'silent mode', and just looked away.

"Pssst! Chief!" Astrid now whispered to me. "We're here, and we're gonna make this work now . . . for all of us, okay?"

I didn't have a chance to respond, as townsfolk were already gathering around us. Normally now, dragons were no longer a big deal in Berk. But dragons walking off a ship . . . especially Night Furies, a whole family of them . . . that was something different.

"Give us space, please," I loudly cautioned. "We've got a couple Night Furies here who aren't used to lots of people around. Please don't crowd us."

I wanted to add, 'Please don't crowd me here, either,' as people began to already bring problems for me to resolve.

"Rule 2 check-in," my wife quietly said as she got beside me again as we walked up the wooden ramps from the harbour towards the heart of the village.

"You don't want to ask that right now," I quietly cautioned, remembering that agreement and rule from our first marriage night at the cove.

I heard Fury beginning to quietly growl behind me amid the crowds around us. That was not a good sign. But frankly, I was right with her. I wanted to growl, too.

"Not two of you," Astrid sighed, hearing Fury growl and seeing my now sullen mood. "Hiccup, stop," she quietly ordered.

I stopped in surprise at the top of the ramps now as the crowd still pressed around us. Astrid hugged me . . . it was the only way she could talk to me.

"You promised you'd make this work with me," she whispered right in my ear, "and I'm calling you on that promise. We pledged we would not go back to the way we were here, but we're already starting to. So I'm about ready to flip you . . . right here, right now."

I suddenly couldn't help quietly laughing at that. When I pulled back a little and looked at Astrid, she couldn't help but smile a little now, too.

"I am," she quietly insisted, trying to keep a straight face. "So drop your dislike of where we're at now, before I drop you on the ground here. It wouldn't look good for a chief."

"Hey, if it gets me out of this job . . . drop me," I quietly invited, almost challenged.

"We would really freak people out here if we did that right now, okay?" Astrid whispered into my ear again. "But per your own promise, consider yourself flipped . . . and don't think I couldn't do it, right here," she warned as she gripped one of my arms as if she was actually about to. "Now live up to your end of the deal."

"Astrid . . . you're right," I quietly accepted with a gentle smile. "My head, my focus, wasn't where it should be . . . on you."

"That's better," she whispered before she kissed me and relaxed her grip.

I just silently smiled and nodded at her.

"Hiccup . . ." my father said, interrupting us. I now looked at him as he betrayed a mild shock at seeing me, especially my face and head, for the first time since so much had happened. "It's . . . as I'd been told. I'm proud of you."

"I'm fine, Dad," I assured.

I couldn't help noticing though that Ingrid was giving my wife a regretful look.

"It's a mark of love," Astrid assured her mother as my wife held an arm around me. "He has never looked so handsome to me as he does now."

I could only turn and hug and kiss Astrid for saying something like that.

"Come on," my wife invited, " . . . let's settle our family into our home."

Fortunately, we still had a home to come back to.

"Uhh, as you've been living by yourselves for months, and that new dragon of yours . . ." my father began to note as he and Ingrid walked with us through the crowd.

"Her name's Fury," my wife corrected, "and she's not 'ours', she's family."

"Astrid . . ." I now cautioned her, quietly encouraging her to tone down her own sudden irritation some. It was quickly becoming clear that we had just become so unaccustomed to dealing with anyone else that we were basically anti-social at the moment.

"Well, she doesn't seem to happy to be around all of us," my father continued. "So your mother and I . . . we'll just live with her family for now. Besides, a chief should have a house to himself. Job's yours again, as of right now. I'm not very good at commanding your Dragon Riders anyway. But we'll let you settle in here. If there's anything you need, let us know. Goodnight."

My father and Ingrid just left before we could say another word, although Ingrid looked back at us. "We'd love to see Eric soon!" she suggested.

"Sure, Mom," Astrid replied, with a less than enthusiastic look as our parents went back down the village hill towards the Hofferson house. "But he comes with a dragon brother now," she added quietly to me while still watching them go. "We are so not gonna fit in here anymore."

"We'll see," I encouraged this time as I held an arm around my wife.

Fury now entered our home, her new home, with Toothless at her side. She looked around it once, curled up, lay down, sighed, and just went to sleep as Toothless lay down as well next to her.

Astrid and I quietly fed the rest of us dinner, bringing Toothless' fish and tea to him, so he didn't have to leave his sleeping Fury's side. Then we humans set up our bedding next to Fury as Toothless lay on the other side of her. Needles wasn't quite ready to leave for the season yet, and bedded down next to us. Astrid, Eric, and I invited Little Toothless to lay down with us as well. We hugged Fury goodnight and went to sleep, too.

Fury stirred later though, and quietly moaned again for a while that first night.

"We miss our island home, too, Fury," my wife assured as she reached and stroked her side. "In more ways than one," she sighed as she looked at me.

I kissed my wife. "We'll figure out how to keep date nights, and everything else, going here," I pledged.

"I know we will," my wife whispered back as she reached around with her hand and grabbed the back of my head, kissing me now as well.

— — — — —

We wound up having to use the house itself as our date night refuge. While either Toothless and Fury, or Astrid and myself would enjoy an evening alone there every few nights, the rest of our family would take walks around the village . . . or hang out next door in the Mead Hall at times.

"Nice to see you all . . . up here . . ." Snotlout and others would greet us uncertainly at first, not used to seeing Astrid and I there in the hall much in the last few years. "But where are your dragons . . . the big ones anyway?" seeing Little Toothless with us, along with Eric. "You're usually always with them."

"Date night," my wife would usually smile. "It's their turn . . . to have the house to themselves." The sound of two dragons roaring from inside our house nearby would usually confirm what Astrid was saying.

We got the strangest looks from others every time we said that, not to mention every time the dragons roared from within our house. But Astrid and I just smiled to each other. We enjoyed being truly who we wanted to be now. We relished our, and our family's, wonderful quirky ways and habits.

Unfortunately, Toothless and Fury never seemed to feel comfortable hanging out in the Mead Hall just with our children when it was our turn. One night, when Astrid and I had finished our date night fun, we went out looking for the rest of the family to invite them back home and found Toothless, Fury and our children just sheltering out of the cold rain in the unused amphitheatre next to the former Dragon Ring.

"Guys . . ." Astrid sighed looking at them. "Hiccup, we can't . . ." she said, then turning to me in the rain.

"I know," I agreed with my wife. "We can't do this to them. I love you anyway though, no matter what," I assured, kissing her firmly.

"I love you, too," my wife replied as she looked at me, " . . . no matter what."

"Come on family," I invited, "let's get us all back to our nice warm home."

After that, Astrid and I together felt we had to keep our own date nights short, often just postponing them when the weather was bad. On those stormy nights when it was our turn . . . and even on most other nights now . . . we would just lie close together in bed in our night tunics, whispering 'I love you' to each other, gently kissing, and looking deep into each other's eyes in the dim firelight. Such simple moments kept our love alive, and even satisfying for my wife and I. We would always go to sleep happy in each other's arms, even surrounded by dragons and children.

As much as we wanted to, we couldn't even go out into the woods to train and spar with each other. It just wasn't much fun in the rains and wet snows of fall. Plus with the rest of our family in the house, we just weren't seeing much room there, either. Astrid tried to content us both with talking to me about how to fight and wrestle while we'd make dinner together, rather than practicing it.

One night, I invited her up to the Mead Hall, late.

"You ready to bring it?" I suddenly invited, dropping into a fighting stance, once I made sure we were alone there.

"Hiccup . . ." she sighed appreciatively. "As much as I want to take you down, right here and now . . . one wrong move onto this stone floor, and we could break a back or crack a head open. I'd do it to an attacking enemy, but not to you. I love you for the thought though."

"And you've wondered why I don't want to live here," I responded, relaxing my posture again.

"I am right with you, my love," she answered, " . . . right with you. But if we agreed it was a mistake coming back here, where does that leave us now?"

"I'll take you on a table here if you want," I sighed.

"Ohh, don't tempt me," she countered with a wistful smile, looking longingly at me as she came up to my side. "But we've been down this path once last winter, remember? We just don't need to get found out and busted again. Would you take me home, and just snuggle with me in bed with our family?"

"I just want it to be enough for you," I said with loving concern.

"You make it enough for me," she assured as she took my arm again as we turned back towards home together.

Through it all, Astrid would never complain now . . . never be anything less than loving, understanding, and totally supportive towards me.

"You sure I don't need a good flip here?" I'd double-check at times.

"Nope," she'd smile and shake her head, " . . . just a warm hug."

"Alright," I'd quietly accept as I took her into my arms, "but know with this hug I am ravishing you thoroughly with my mind and heart."

Astrid would laugh and sigh and bury her nose against my neck, holding me tight and inhaling me strongly. "Ohh yeah," she'd reply back. "I'm feelin' it."

I'd at least give her back a thorough massage through her tunic as I held her while dinner simmered near us in our cooking area. "So close, but yet so far," I'd quietly say to her with regret.

"Hiccup, I have never felt so loved by you as I do now," Astrid would assure me. "You are so good at making love to me with your mind . . . you are. I've learned that now. Just share it with me . . . share this private universe in our heads and hearts that is ours, and ours alone . . . please?"

I could not resist such requests from her. I would kiss her hard and ravish her fully clothed right there in the kitchen. We wound up burning a few stews that way at first, but we'd come away genuinely satisfied and deeply in love with each other. And even though we weren't alone, no one but the two of us knew what we were sharing in our hearts and minds while making dinner together. Cooking with Astrid . . . just chopping, stirring, and roasting, loving her deeply as we did all that . . . it became a lot of fun.

It was something I wouldn't miss now, and even cut short meetings for.

"Sorry," I'd excuse, "I have to get home now to make dinner with my wife."

"You must not have a very good cook for a wife," I'd hear back at first.

"You might want to rephrase that," I'd suggest with a confident smile. "But you have no idea how good she is, or what cooking with her is like."

_Let them think I was weird,_ I'd smile to myself as I then turned and walked home . . . the weirder the better! I didn't care. I had someone wonderful waiting to cook with me there.

— — — — —

It wasn't like we didn't still have some challenges however.

One of our problems was in getting Eric to spend time just with his grandparents now. He and Little Toothless were practically inseparable as both friends and brothers.

"Hiccup, could we speak with you . . . alone for a moment?" my father tried to uncomfortably say to Astrid and I one night. With Ingrid right next to him, we could see she was putting him up to this.

"Sure, Dad," I sighed. "Toothless, Eric," I said, turning to them, "would you take everyone home ahead of us here? Astrid and I will be along shortly."

"Okay, Daddy," Eric agreed, before grunting to Toothless, with Toothless looking at both him and me, nodding in understanding and agreement, and then leading the rest of our family back home.

"Your son can really speak dragon?" my father asked once the rest of our family had moved beyond earshot.

"As much as Ruffnut and some of the Hoffersons can speak Frankish," I affirmed.

"Hiccup . . ." my father then nervously began.

"Dad, we've found happiness together, as a family . . . the dragons _and_ us," I said, just knowing what this was about and cutting to the chase. "Fury would have wasted away and died had we not become who we are together now. If you want, my family and I would be only too happy to give up everything and move away to the cove . . . permanently. We'd still defend and fight for you all when you needed it — but otherwise, we just don't need to be here anymore," I finished, almost angrily.

Looking at Astrid, I could see she was torn at what I just said. Although she looked sadly at me, she remained silent and nodded . . . letting our parents know she agreed with me, and with what I basically threatened that we were prepared to do.

My father paused, not knowing what to say now.

"Your son hardly seems to have any human friends," Ingrid said pointedly however. "He spends more time with dragons than with his own kind. Honestly, it looks like our grandson is being raised by dragons!"

"What if he is!" my wife forcefully replied. "He's learning tolerance, kindness, and viewing life from a different perspective. He's even bringing two very different worlds together . . . and he's just four! Besides, he and Little Toothless seem to be mixing with other kids just fine, and having a cool dragon friend seems to be helping Eric make human friends. But you know, my husband is right . . . we don't need to be here anymore."

Astrid and I just stared at my father and Ingrid for a moment. They were clearly shocked at our just being ready to pack up and leave. I didn't look at my wife right then, but I could feel through the strong grip of her arm around me that we were firmly united in our resolve now.

"I want you to be here," Ingrid finally replied in surrender.

"Then let us be who we've become . . . who we are now," I asked on behalf of my family. "Join us, anytime you want. But don't try and separate us anymore . . . human from dragon, or child from parent. We take breaks from each other during workdays, and on date nights—"

"But date nights? For the dragons that I've been hearing about?" Ingrid interrupted.

"Toothless and Fury love each other every bit as much as Hiccup and I do," my wife defended. "If you took time to watch how they are together, you'd see it. Fury's even inspired me to be a better mate to my own husband. She's never got mad or frustrated at Toothless, like I used to with Hiccup."

I turned and looked at Astrid. "So that's why you've been so good to me this fall," I deduced with some intrigue.

"Yes, in part," she confessed to me with a growing smile. "I've never seen Fury snap at Toothless, or go off on him or turn away from him, even once since they really got back together. I couldn't say that about myself . . . and that shamed me somewhat. It made me want to be a better mate to you. Dragon commitment . . . it's something I'm trying to live up to now, for you."

"Astrid . . ." I said in quiet wonder and awe as I embraced her.

"I'll spit out some food," she whispered in my ear, " . . . some of my life for you, later."

I could barely keep from laughing as I just buried my face against the side of her head.

"It's good to be dragon with you," I finally whispered back into her ear with a smile.

Astrid just moved and kissed me passionately, right in front of our parents.

"Alright," Ingrid sighed as Astrid and I just looked at each other. "I won't fight or argue your ways anymore . . . I promise."

"Mother . . ." Astrid said gratefully as she turned to embrace her. "We have a lot of fun together . . . we do."

"I'm sure," Ingrid smiled. "Dragons as not just pets, but part of our family now," she sighed, " . . . I'd never thought I'd see the day."

"There is more to them than even Hiccup knew," Astrid noted. "They have views and customs that they've come to share with us . . . all thanks to Eric being able to understand and speak their language now. And we have great family dinners now . . . in a circle, on the floor together. We don't even use the dining table anymore. It gives us a lot more space in the house! Why don't you come join us tomorrow night? Just be ready for a dragon custom or two that we've adopted. They have some unique ways . . ."

We went easy on my father and Ingrid the next night though, just having them share bites from the same fish . . . a roasted one, for our parents' sake . . . using the custom that Astrid had originally come up with. My wife and I just didn't think they were ready to be welcomed and honoured the real dragon way, with regurgitated fish. Toothless and Fury thankfully understood.

— — — — —

Even though we finally had that longstanding problem resolved, Fury still didn't exactly have an easy time adjusting to being around so many humans now, after having spent a lifetime avoiding them. She would growl and even snarl and snap at the villagers at times . . . feeling no commitment towards them. People quickly learned to give her a wide berth.

I couldn't really blame her. I would almost feeling the same way at times, with all the demands of village leadership being suddenly thrust on me again. Toothless seemed like he was communicating his displeasure to Fury about this . . . but this time, she wasn't accepting it from him.

Finally, my wife could stand it no more.

"Fury," Astrid tried to reason with her one day after Fury had snapped at yet another innocent villager, "these people didn't do what was done to you."

Eric was beside her, translating what his mother was saying into Night Fury grunts and mannerisms as best he could.

Toothless and I had just arrived back from a late season fish run, but hung back at the doorway to our home, not wanting to disturb things as my wife talked. Toothless quietly dropped his load of fish to one side on the porch and watched with me.

"This is where our family lives now," Astrid continued. "This is where you have to live. This village has welcomed you. We're feeding you, and caring for you. So don't blame what happened to you on the people here, okay? Stop taking out your anger and hostility on us, please. This is your life now. We saved you. You didn't die. This isn't the gift our family wanted to give you, but it's the best one we could. Accept it . . . and share our love."

Eric finished translating and looked at Fury, as she looked at my wife and son.

"Come on Furwy," Eric said in our language, "stop being mad . . . please?" He then proceeded to say the same thing in Night Fury grunts and gestures.

Fury looked at him for a moment. Finally, she nudged him, closing her eyes . . . signaling her acceptance, then doing the same with Astrid.

Astrid sighed with relief, as Toothless and I now entered our house.

"Eric and I have just talked with Fury," she explained. "I don't think she'll be mad at the villagers anymore."

"Good job, you two," I admired to my wife and son. "Let's celebrate with fresh fish tonight. I can't wait to 'roast' with you here," I then added suggestively to my wife.

Astrid smiled. "I love you," she sighed as she leaned against me.

I just grabbed her and kissed her hard. Toothless rewarded Fury with a loving, noisy smooch and some satisfying nudging as well.

Love and fun truly ruled in our household.

— — — — —

Fury was as good as her word . . . or her nudge . . . after that. In subsequent days as the snow really started falling, I would see Astrid and Eric slowly reintroducing her to cautious villagers . . . with Eric translating the closest thing that Night Furies ever came to in apologizing.

"This is Furwy," he would say. "She is very sorry for having been mad at everyone for losing her tail."

His endearing ways as a little boy helped a lot in winning the forgiveness of the villagers towards Fury. I was very proud of my son, and told him so.

Finally, one day in the middle of winter, Fury surprised us. She went over and picked up Toothless' tail rig on her own, and brought it to the rest of us, making a series of grunts and head gestures as she looked at Eric.

"She says she's ready," Eric translated, looking at us. "You can make her one of those now, too."

"Alright, Fury!" Astrid cheered as she rushed over to embrace her. We all did. Fury's healing was now complete.

We celebrated as a family that night, feasting and cheering Fury for her courage. She gratefully accepted regurgitated or partially-chewed fish from each of us, looking directly into our eyes as she ate each gift of life.

After dinner, Toothless had one request that he communicated by a series of grunts and gestures to Eric.

"Toofess wants us to watch Wittle Toofess," Eric said. "He wants to take Furwy out for . . . he wouldn't tell me."

Astrid and I laughed together. "Go," we assured Toothless, "we've got Little Toothless. You sure you don't just want us to go up to the Mead Hall though?"

After Eric translated our offer to him, Toothless just grunted and shook his head, then proceeding to usher his mate outside, off to somewhere in the woods . . . even though it was snowing.

"Walks in the snow can be romantic," Astrid said as we both shut our front door behind them. "You should try it sometime."

"Alright," I pledged with a smile, taking the hint. "I will . . . you can even come along."

"Keep that up, mister, and no you-know-what tonight," Astrid warned.

"Shhhhh!" I whispered. I had been looking forward to this for days. I think Toothless had even remembered that, which was perhaps why he had left the house with Fury. I owed that dragon again.

After we had put the little ones to bed together in our common sleeping area, Astrid and I relaxed together in the one place we could in the house by ourselves . . . our bath.

But this time, the tub was upstairs in our previously unused loft! We had lugged it all the way up there several days before, even testing it with a load of water to make sure the floorboards and beams could safely hold it. Astrid had also clearly told Eric that when she and I were both up there, the loft was out of bounds . . . it just was, and we asked him to respect that.

We invited him to look around up there however, to show there was nothing special or secret or hidden. We just assured him we'd tell him why we wanted to be by ourselves up there at times when he was old enough though.

To cap it off, I'd built an interior wall between the loft and the rest of the house, while still allowing an occasional gap for heat to pass through. I even added a curtain between the tub and the stairs, just in case Eric absolutely had to come up and tell us something. Plus, for tonight, I had surrounded the tub with candles, and had already lit them all. Little Terror dragons are so easy to bribe with a fish . . . even a fish head!

"Ohh this is a night to celebrate and re-laaxx. And this," Astrid sighed, looking around, " . . . this is magnificent, sir! I love it all, and I love us. How are you doing behind me there?"

"Gee, you haven't asked me that much lately," I sighed, kind of scratching my head. "I don't know where to start!"

"Well, let me scratch that lovely, fully-healed head of yours," she invited, turning sideways on my lap, and brushing my hand aside. "You just hold me, and talk."

"What brings all this on?" I asked.

"Another miracle, with Fury," she said as she gave me some very satisfying itching on my head. "Remember? I promised the gods a while ago . . . every miracle in this family, I rededicate myself to my husband."

"Well, gee," I noted, "I should be doing that, too, don't you think?"

"You do, Hiccup," Astrid admired with a tear in her eye, " . . . every day. I love you, so very much."

Casting an eye towards the curtain and the stairs, and listening to ensure our family's children were asleep . . . I quietly, passionately, began romancing my wife.

"Oh," she interrupted. "Got one more miracle for you."

"What?" I asked as I held her in my arms.

Astrid smiled and reached behind her for something. She produced and put on her leather headband, before telling me, "I'm pregnant again."

"Astrid . . ." I sighed, shaking my head with delight, holding her tightly.

I then stretched up a little, and kissed her right on her headband, before we quietly resumed our own private celebration.

"Don't you dare stop . . ." my wife invited. I could sense both her angelic and demonic sides were making that request.

"I promise," I smiled, as I kissed her very hard.

I went to bed later that night with her, swearing I'd find a way to keep the water warm longer in the tub upstairs.

— — — — —

I went to work on Fury's tail rig and saddle the very next day, inviting Fury to inspect my progress every step of the way . . . right down to asking her to choose the cloth colour and insignia for her new tail. With my son translating, she chose a light grey, and a silhouette of her flying in white, viewed from the side, as her insignia, from a number of sketches I'd made. Eric also took delight in helping me make Fury's gear. It was our first project together as father and son . . . and helped to reassure me that I hadn't lost my own son completely to the dragons.

I did a number of test-fittings. Fury wasn't exactly comfortable with having all this equipment on her at first, but wearing it for a while at times on the ground, adding sheepskin padding here and there . . . she got accustomed to it, as Toothless had done. Toothless would ask to wear his gear as well by nudging me with it, whenever his mate wore hers . . . offering her moral support, if nothing else.

It was then time to run Astrid through some training flights on Toothless . . . first on a tether on a bluff where I could coach her, and then free, in the air . . . having her get used to running the foot controls for his tailfin, and what they did.

Initially, I was going to fly with her on Toothless during her first free flight, but . . .

"We can't leave Fury here, all by herself," my wife noted as I was settling in behind her on Toothless' saddle. "She wants to fly again now, so much. I got this, so why don't you stay with her."

"Alright," I reluctantly accepted as I dismounted from Toothless.

After flying with him so much myself, it felt really strange, almost lonely, to see him fly off into the skies now with Astrid on his neck instead. At least I had Fury to keep me company on the ground though.

"You ready to go back up there?" I had to ask her as I laid a hand on her head, as we watched Toothless and Astrid fly away together.

Fury answered with one quick bark as she kept watching them as well . . . a definite yes from her!

— — — — —

When Astrid had mastered flying with Toothless, I had both her and Fury practice with tethered flights on that bluff. Astrid had a harder job in helping Fury fly than I did with Toothless, as she had two tail fins to control on Fury. It took Astrid a while to learn to independently work Fury's new cloth tailfins as Fury had once done with her own.

"I don't know if I'll ever get this," Astrid sighed as she sat down next to me for a moment after another afternoon of problematic test flights on the tether.

"I do . . . and so does Fury," I assured with a kiss, noticing even Fury and Toothless next to her were looking reassuringly at my wife as well. "But . . . I have a surprise for you tonight," I added, knowing that would brighten her spirits.

"What?" she began to smile.

"You'll see," I replied, " . . . after you put everyone else to bed."

Even though the nights of late winter still fell early, Astrid had never been so interested in encouraging everyone else in our family off to bed, even adding some extra mead to their tea at dinner to get them sleepier.

"Astrid," I warned during dinner in our usual family circle on the floor, detecting the extra kick in my tea, " . . . you're bad."

"What?" she tried to innocently ask, before slipping me a guilty smile.

As soon as she was distracted in settling the rest of our family down to bed, it was time for me to disappear.

"Hiccup, where'd you go?" she asked once Eric and the Night Furies were settled in our sleeping area.

"Up here," I said from the loft in our house.

"Oooo a bath," she sighed.

"Nope," I replied back.

"Okayy . . ." she said, her interest really piqued now, as I heard her making her way up the stairs. I just smiled as I waited for her to find me.

"Alright, Hiccup . . . where are you?" she asked as she now looked around the loft, seeing our tub . . . but not me.

"Keep looking," I encouraged with an irrepressible smile now.

She homed in on the sound of my voice, and found me . . . behind the tub in our dim loft.

"Ohh, Hiccup . . ." she then sighed, simply overjoyed.

I had secretly bought another mattress from Ingrid, and moved it upstairs behind the tub, all without Astrid knowing, thanks to having Ingrid keep my wife busy earlier that day. Now I was lying on it, clad just in a night tunic . . . with my wrists bound in a rope above my head, which was wrapped around a post.

"Wanna wrestle . . . quietly?" I invited.

— — — — —

The next day, I had never seen Astrid so focused and confident in her flight training with Fury. Even Fury was smiling at me . . . knowing in part what I had done for Astrid the previous night.

Soon, Astrid was actively training me in fighting again as well . . . by night and within the confines of a few feet of mattress when necessary . . . while I continued training her in flying by day, when the weather allowed. As Eric and the Furies were sleeping nicely together as always, and Astrid and I only had a few more months until she gave birth again, plus we were still giving Toothless and Fury their private 'date nights' in our house . . . my wife and I felt justified in making our upstairs 'sparring mattress' our private bed for now as well.

Astrid and I began looking forward to what we told Eric and the rest of the family was 'our time' . . . nights where we'd quietly work up a sweat together in various ways . . .

"Come on! Don't hold back!" my wife challenged me in a whisper one night as we circled each other on our mattress in our night tunics. "You know what to do! Attack!"

I just plowed in and attacked . . . skillfully deflecting her jabs and kicks, before getting her in a lock and flipping her down, all while making sure she landed safely on the mattress.

"You're getting good . . . very good," my wife admired after I dropped and pinned her flat beneath me.

"You're teaching me," I replied as I kissed her while we were both breathing hard. "But I win again."

"Yes you do," Astrid smiled. "So, why not take your prize?" she offered. "And remember tonight's lesson . . . don't hold back."

"Yes, m'am!" I said before passionately taking her up on her invitation.

We would usually bathe all our well-earned sweat off in the tub afterwards, which was kept warm now by a bucket of heated rocks immersed in the tub . . . Toothless had figured that one out for me. If we needed the rocks heated again, I'd just lower the bucket down to Toothless on a rope, he would reheat the rocks with a gentle blow, and we were good. Then Astrid and I sometimes would do it all again!

We were so bad together at times now . . . but it was sooo good!

"Hiccup . . . wow . . ." my wife would whisper in deep appreciation to me after such evening workouts now as we'd settle down to sleep in each other's arms, just the two of us . . . the way we did during our first magic winter together.

"We'll have to tone this down soon," I cautioned one night. "You're gonna bear us another child."

"I'll settle for arm wrestling if I have to here," she replied. "But I never want to give this up now completely. After I give birth, I want full-on training with you again. I have always loved you, Hiccup, but not as intensely and passionately as I do now. Five years on, you are my perfect mate . . . more than ever now."

"Astrid . . ." I whispered, as I looked at her, gently caressing her face, before bringing her close to me again. "I love you, like a dragon."

"Yes you do," she affirmed with real appreciation.

We were truly keeping each other so very happy, as well as fit and sharp . . . all in the village! My heaven . . . our heaven . . . was around us all the time now.

The job of Chief was even growing on me. Astrid helped with that, too . . .

"Let's fight train here in the village," she suggested one day as she came up to me outside the Mead Hall.

"What are those wooden staffs you're holding?" I asked.

"Fighting staffs," she smiled as she offered me one. "My family just discovered and imported these from Saxony. They're a lot safer than swords, but can allow us to really hone our skills. They'll also put on an impressive show for the villagers . . . and make our Chief look _really_ good," she hinted.

After seeing Astrid and I train and spar together around the village at times . . . especially with those fighting staffs . . . no one thought or dared to call me 'dork' anymore. I could lay them flat now before they'd finish the 'k'.

— — — — —

Then, one bright spring morning, we were ready to fly . . . all of us.

I was on Toothless, with Eric secured in his own little harness to the saddle in front of me. Astrid was on Fury, and Little Toothless right beside them. Little Toothless was growing now, as was our son. It would not be long before they, too, would be flying together.

Eric had already informed us that morning that Fury knew she was pregnant again as well. Our family would soon be eight. I was hoping our new children, dragon and human, would both be girls this time.

But there'd definitely be no room in our home now for any of Astrid's relatives or in-laws now. They had been asking, being slightly envious that just three humans and three dragons . . . four with Needles . . . had a house to ourselves. I tried to point out that both Gobber and old Gothi the Elder were each living in houses all by themselves, and that these relatives could easily build another house on their own—but somehow, it just wasn't sinking in with them. I ended up promising to help them build another house, after we got Fury flying again.

And Needles? She had been away down south somewhere again . . . presumably with her part-time mate . . . well before Astrid began flight training with Fury. But Needles had just returned two days ago, and was showing up to fly on her own with us this morning.

"Ready, family?" I asked as we were all poised to take off. No question had ever felt so good to ask in my life . . . other than the one that had married me to Astrid.

The rest of the village had gathered to watch as I deployed Toothless' cloth fin and Astrid deployed both of Fury's. It was an emotional moment seeing both of Fury's light grey cloth fins now deployed for her first real flight since the cruel tragedy she had suffered during the previous summer. The village spontaneously applauded upon seeing Fury's new, and beautiful, tailfins. Fury and Astrid just looked at each other, as Astrid stroked her. They were ready to go.

Both Astrid and I, along with Eric, crouched down on our Night Furies. Toothless and Fury then vaulted us upwards, with Little Toothless, and even Needles, right alongside. We took off into the air and flew, as a family.

We flew around the sea stacks around our harbour, as well as over, and even through our village. Astrid still momentarily had a challenge in working both of Fury's tailfins in their first free flight together . . . bumping them into a cliff or two, just as I had done the first time with Toothless. Soon though, our two ladies were not missing a beat, pacing Toothless and I move for move as we all flew together, with Little Toothless and Needles keeping right with us as well.

Then, Fury just had to do it. She looked up at Astrid for agreement. Astrid just knowingly replied, "I think I'm ready . . . Go for it."

Fury peeled away with Astrid from us. Toothless and I banked to follow as we watched. It was happening. As Astrid helped her, Fury rose, dipped, spun and soared. She was dancing in the air again, as she loved to do so much.

Toothless and I both looked admiringly at our mates as they flew together . . . they were the simply most beautiful sight on Earth.

As they returned beside us, Fury and Astrid were casting warm glances our way, too.

"Let's celebrate!" I suggested to Astrid. "Double-date flight, to our hot springs on Dragon Island! . . . As long as you can find a relative to watch the little ones."

"My mom will do it!" Astrid assured.

"Are you and Toofess and Furwy and Mommy gonna have fun? . . . Without us?" Eric asked me.

"Hiccup," my wife said, overhearing that, "could we make it a family date?"

"Okay . . ." I smiled, relenting. "We'll all celebrate tonight!"

About the only thing I'd miss from here on was that I likely could never again fly with Astrid on the same dragon anymore. But then I imagine Toothless and Fury would each miss being able to fly without us on their necks at times, too. It was a small price to pay for them, though . . . especially for Fury's happiness at being able to return to the skies again. I could see she lived to fly, just as Toothless did.

Spontaneously, other dragons and riders began joining us in the air in celebration for Fury. I looked around at the others as we all flew. With three Night Furies . . . and a fourth on the way . . . as well as all the Nightmares, Nadders, Zipplebacks, Gronckles and their riders . . . no one would dare mess with us now.

Maybe we'd have to put off the flight to our hot springs for another time though, and just have a party for Fury's return to the sky in the village tonight . . . give her the welcome, and the recognition, that she's always deserved.

"Hey, Astrid," I called across to her, "mind if we just celebrate in town tonight? I think everyone would enjoy it, and it would be Fury's first real party here. We could get Fishlegs and his good cook of a wife to cater!"

"Okay," she accepted, "Fury and I will take a rain-check on a hot springs date night with our mates . . . this time! But, Hiccup," she added, "you're mine later."

I smiled, knowing what would be in store for me tonight.

We soared on through the skies though. At last, our family was fully realizing our vows together . . .

We lived as one . . .

We'd fight as one . . .

We loved as one . . .

and now,

We flew as one.

_Finish_

HOW TO TAME A HEART

Continue on to the next story though,

TAMING A HEART: CHANGE OF AGES


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